The cart trains often consisted of hundreds of oxcarts. Following the imperial messenger are&colon; two oxcarts, four cows, thirty-six horses, and six hundred people. The art of painting these oxcarts has been passed down from generation to generation. The golden age for the oxcarts was from 1850 to 1935. These travelers arrived on foot, by bicycle, and in oxcarts. It is not uncommon to see oxcarts, donkey-carts and horse-driven carts. Although many oxcarts are similar, no two are painted exactly the same. Then, cow herders began hand-painting their own oxcarts in addition to their identification designs. In 1903, people began enhancing their oxcarts by adding designs to their wheels. These stores offer a variety of oxcarts in all kinds of sizes and colors. Las carretas, Costa Rican oxcarts, are a large part of Costa Rican history. The oxcarts are considered one of Costa Rica's national symbols. Oxcarts are not only used in Costa Rica but also all around Central America. Using oxcarts, they virtually monopolized this particular freight route by moving goods quickly and cheaply. Originally, the coffee was brought to port in oxcarts via a trail through the mountains.