Funeral Conveyances

The first dedicated funeral vehicles are thought to be the sledges of ancient Egypt appearing in tomb art. Greek historian Diodorus Siculus described the richly decorated four-wheeled carriage that transported the golden coffin of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C.E. Hearse, the word used for contemporary funeral vehicles, originated from the rake or hirpex used by Roman farmers (also called a harrow in Saxon England or a hearse following the Norman invasion of 1066), which [Page 466][Page 467]resembled the candelabra of Norman funeral services when it was inverted and held aloft. Placed on the coffin lid during the funeral procession, this candleholder gradually grew in size to accommodate new saints and holidays, and evolved into a wheeled vehicle by the 16th century.

Compared to the wood-intensive, carved-column hearses that descended visually from horse-drawn vehicles, steel-paneled limousine-style funeral coaches like this 1923 Meteor Model 206 offered a completely modern silhouette that complemented other cars in the funeral procession.

Source: Gregg D. Merksamer collection.

The first purpose-designed flower cars appeared in the late 1930s to replace the open touring cars and phaetons that had previously ferried floral tributes in the funeral procession. Open well models were dubbed “Western-” or “Chicago-” style flower cars because livery services in the Windy City were among the first to use them, while “Eastern” style flower cars like this 1940 Meteor LaSalle had opening rear doors or tailgates that could admit a casket when the hydraulically inclined deck was in the horizontal position.

Source: Gregg D. Merksamer collection.

Three-way hearses, which first appeared in the late 1920s, employed a Y-shaped track that allowed a roller-covered casket table to emerge from either the side or the rear of the body. The system's curbside capabilities reduced loading height for the pallbearers and freed them from stepping into unpaved or muddy streets during the funeral service. This Henney-bodied 1937 Packard further enhanced convenience with an “Elecdraulic” power table.

Source: Gregg D. Merksamer collection.

The significant growth in U.S. cremation rates has compelled coachbuilders to introduce optional urn carriers that allow the hearse to maintain a ceremonial role in a casket-less funeral. The marble-finished composite Urn Enclave on this 2007 Eagle Lincoln can be quickly detached from its slide-out casket table, while other hearses use a permanent design that pops out of a well in the rear floor.

Source: Gregg D. Merksamer collection.

Purpose-built funeral conveyances became common in the United States during the second quarter of the 19th century, when local churchyards were superseded by large landscaped cemeteries on the outskirts of cities and the undertaker transitioned from a carpenter or furniture maker who made coffins as a sideline to a full-service professional who hired vehicles. Their horse-drawn equipment underwent major design changes fairly infrequently, but one major change that occurred during the 1870s and 1880s saw the narrow-bodied, oval-glassed hearses that had dominated for the previous half century eclipsed by more ornate creations touting intricately carved columns, roof-mounted urns, and tasseled draperies for the casket compartment. Guided in its vehicle selections by newly available trade journals, the typical funeral firm might also operate a plain or sunburst-paneled service wagon for “first calls” at the railway station or the home of the deceased, a fleet of mourners' carriages, and a small, white hearse for the funerals of children.

...