Funeral Home Displayed Changes in Funeral Cars
Today’s hearses and funeral cars have come a long way since they first started taking bodies to their final resting place. Recently, the owners of White Family Funeral Home in Canada had a display that showcased these changes.
The presentation – “The Evolution of the Funeral Hearse” – was hosted by Cyril and Greg White on January 27 for the monthly meeting of the Kings Historical Society. Greg White did the actual presentation. Here are some highlights from that demonstration.
• The first hearses were not hearses at all. They were a group of people that would carry the casket from the funeral to the cemetery.
• As funeral homes and cemeteries began to spread out, horse-drawn carriages became necessary. They started out as black carriages, but evolved into more ornate displays as time went by.
• Some larger horse-drawn carriages were big enough for a casket along with a “closed-in area for the driver.” During the winter, the wheels could be replaced with runners for easier transport.
• Motorized hearses were introduced in 1905 and the “first commercially produced motorized hearses appeared in 1909.”
These are just a few of the facts about funeral cars and hearses from “The Evolution of the Funeral Hearse.” We’ll bring you more highlights on Wednesday. Be sure to come back for more!
Filed Under: Funeral Cars
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