"Station Wagons: There is no finer American institution."

Ford introduced the first Station Wagon in 1926. Ford's wood trim became the industry standard for many years, until it was ultimately replaced with a more cost efficient, virtually maintenance-free, imitation-woodgrain appliquè.

Over the years, the station wagon evolved into a popular vehicle that could carry as many as nine passengers, making it ideal for large families. In many models, the interior was large enough, with the seats folded down, to carry 4' x 8' sheets of material.

Mercury manufactured Cougar station wagons in 1977 and 1982; the '77 was the only full-sized wagon. There were 4951 standard and 8569 Villager wagons built in 1977; I'm still searching for the production number for 1982.

As the SUV gained popularity, so began the demise of the full-sized wagon...