Northwest Carriage Museum

Dad outside the museum

The City of Raymond, Washington is not so big (population 2,880), but it has a big collection of 19th century horse drawn carriages.  The horses are gone, but the carriages, most meticulously restored, are well displayed at the Northwest Carriage Museum.  I felt transported back to the 1880s and 1890s.  The carriages include two hearses (one built in Vienna), a Hansom cab (think Sherlock Holmes), a children's cart (with high sides to keep the kids safe), and a battered 1888 stage couch once used in old Western movies.  There were also some mail carriages and working carriages.  I especially liked the elegant Opera Car, designed to transport the wealthy to, well, the Opera.  The museum also has the black carriage used in Gone with the Wind.

Ride this carriage to attend the opera in style

Mom inspects the cab.  Leg room was limited!