National Museum of Funeral History

Honestly, several of us turned up our nose at the idea of visiting a “funeral” museum.  The National Museum of Funeral History was very, very interesting!! That was our outing on Thursday, October 30th. ~~ We visited the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts on Tuesday, October 28th (but I did not take pictures).

Waiting to enter museum

Our tour guide

Presidential funerals area

Presidential area

Beautiful "woody" hearse

More old hearses

Casket for three

Money, money, money

Mummy case

Mummy

Very old hearse

Regarding a mortician

A Pope

Swiss guards with Pope

Swiss guard

Cardinal praying (1)

Cardinal praying (2)

Popemobile

Another beautiful old hearse

Very old

Another very old hearse

Fit for royalty

Description of previous image

Believed to be from Japan

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Add the name hereDetails regarding previous imageTrue story: In 1957 I purchased a 1938 Packard Hearse similar to this (for $500.00) directly from Mumaw Funeral Home, Lancaster, California. We needed a “heavy-duty” vehicle to pull our thirty-five foot Spartanette “trailer house” from Army base to Army base. It was in perfect condition inside and outside, and gave us years of trustworthy travel. It was a dream to drive!!  I loved it; my husband hated it!!
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Snow WhiteShuttle disastersAnother true story: I was working at NASA, Edwards AFB, when the Challenger exploded. It was so traumatic watching the event on NASA closed-circuit television! To this day, I get emotional seeing images of the shuttle disasters.
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Shirley TempleHole in the wall campYet another true story: Paul Newman created a Hole in the Wall Gang camp within twenty-five miles of my home in Lancaster, California. 
Speaking of Lancaster, California: Did you know that Judy Garland lived in Lancaster before she was in movies?
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Charles Lindbergh

1935 Studebaker

Details about 1935 Studebaker

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Arch over garden areaRemembering Sept. 11, 2001Humor me; one last true story. On my family tree, Studebaker is a noteworthy collateral line. See that 1935 Studebaker hearse? 

 

One comment on “National Museum of Funeral History

  1. Deb's avatar Deb says:

    You know, a few months ago I would have shaken my head at the thought of a funeral museum…but they had a couple of horse drawn hearses like these in a wagon museum I went to during the VT Samboree. There was a lady there who genuinely loved the history of the various wagons, who told us about them, and their differences, and answered our questions. It really was quite interesting. The Packard is lovely.

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