WORLD’S LARGEST CARRIAGE MUSEUM

A buggy is a predecessor to the automobile.

A coach is a larger version of the buggy. They carry six to twelve passengers and usually have a hired driver. If the buggy was equivalent to a family car, the coach would be comparable to an eight- or twelve-passenger van. Wealthy individuals could own their own coach, whereas those with fewer resources could hire one for the day. Some drove around town, picking up and dropping off passengers like a city bus.

During winter, sleighs replaced vehicles with wheels in places that get a lot of snow. Some were dedicated sleighs, but others could have the wheels removed and converted to sleighs for the winter.

Stagecoaches were used for intercity travel. They carried both passengers and cargo. This one travelled between Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. Most were enclosed, but some, like the yellow one below, were open-sided for short trips. Most were similar to the ones in Western movies, but a few were reserved for first-class passengers, such as the black one shown below.

Bread Wagon. Bread was delivered door to door in horse-drawn wagons like this for about 100 years, from 1850 to 1950. About 1950, they switched to motorized vehicles until about 1970.

The Studebaker company built this particular bread wagon, founded by the five Studebaker brothers in 1852. They started making automobiles in 1902. They produced both wagons and automobiles until 1919. The Studebaker company went out of business in 1967.

Milk Wagon. The milk wagon had a similar history to the bread wagon. They delivered milk, eggs, and other dairy products directly to customers’ doors. The milkman survived longer than the breadman, lasting until about 1975. This one belonged to a company called Northern Alberta Dairy Products.

Before the invention of automobiles, children went to school in horse-drawn wagons and sometimes in sleighs during winter.

Fire Engines were also horse-drawn until suitable motorized vehicles became available. Here are some photos of horse-drawn fire engines from the 1800s. These at least had a small motor to pump the water. Earlier fire wagons were hand-pumped, as shown in one of the photos below. There were also separate wagons for the ladders and hoses.

The invention of the automobile was soon followed by the need to establish fuel stations. (fuel is called gasoline in North America and petrol in Europe). But how did the fuel get to the new fuel stations? Ironically, fuel was hauled to the fuel stations in horse-drawn wagons. A truck or lorry strong enough to pull the heavy wagons had yet to be invented.

In the 1800s, a horse-drawn hearse served the same purpose as modern ones: to transport deceased people to the graveyard. Today’s hearses are plain compared to this ostentatious vehicle. Hearses in the 1800s had large windows so the public could see the person inside. Not all hearses were so elaborate. Simple options were available for those who could not afford this stylish vehicle, as shown in the photos below. There were even sleighs for winter conditions.

Before the invention of the refrigerator, people kept their food cool in homes with an icebox. An icebox resembled a wooden refrigerator without electricity. Like modern refrigerators, they had two compartments: one for the food and one for the ice and frozen food. The ice man travelled around town delivering large blocks of ice that people used to keep their icebox cold. The electric refrigerator was invented in the 1930s, but some people continued to use iceboxes into the early 1950s.

Before most people had indoor plumbing, they could purchase water and have it delivered in one of these water wagons. Indoor plumbing was introduced in houses in the 1830s, but only wealthy individuals could afford it. A hotel in Boston was the first hotel to feature plumbing in 1833. Additionally, in 1833, plumbing was installed in the White House in Washington, D.C. The average house began to install indoor plumbing in the early to mid-1900s. Farms and small rural towns were among the last to receive indoor plumbing, with some not getting it until as late as 1960. The Studebaker company made this yellow water wagon. Most were just made of unpainted wood.