Allen County Museum
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H is for...
Hearse: A hearse is a special funeral vehicle that is used for transporting a deceased person to a place of burial. In the 1800s, horse drawn hearses were elaborately carved carriages with lanterns, flower holders, glass windows, and curtains. Funeral processions were important events and even the horses wore large feather plumes on their heads.
The use of horse-drawn hearses gave way to the gasoline-powered funeral coach in the twentieth century. One of the world’s largest producers of funeral coaches was located in Allen County, Ohio – The Superior Coach Company. This company also manufactured school buses. Funeral coaches continue to be produced today in Lima, Ohio under the name of Accubuilt, Inc.
