More Types of Horse-Drawn Conveyances Than You've Ever Emagined
The Dorothy and Ward Melville Carriage House certainly doesn't look like much from the outside, it's a bit stark and without windows. The inside is not much cozier. But this plain building contains a treasure, over 100 of the 250 piece collection.

There are royal coaches, and jaunty little run-abouts. There are stage coaches and gypsy wagons, and goat-drawn conveyances for children. There are vendor carriages and mail coaches and fire-fighting pumping wagons with ornate brass.

The carriages bring visitors back to a very different time when life moved more slowly. Making a 30 mile trip was an undertaking. And looking at these vehicles you can feel time slowing down. It was also an era when functionality and decorative art were not irreconcilable. Carriage painting was an occupation and an important part of the manufacturing process.

Grace Darling
One of the highlights of the collection is the elegant Grace Darling, manufactured around 1880 by the Concord Carriage Builders (New Hampshire). Grace Darling was an omnibus used in a livery service. But it has little in common with today's livery vehicles. The artist who painted Grace Darling created landscapes, female figures, sprays of flowers, and still-life paintings.

It was also a common, and charming, practice for these barges (as the larger omnibuses were called) to be named. The Grace Darling was named after the daughter of a lighthouse keeper who helped rescue survivors of a shipwreck.

Coaches of Every Kind
The Berlin Coach, invented around 1660 in the Prussian capital city of Berlin, is another standout. The one on display always reminded us of what Cinderella's coach would look like -- large wheels in back, gilded wood carriage decorated with reclining figures and little cupids. The coachman would sit up front (probably hoping for good weather).

To be honest, not every carriage is a work of art. We marveled at the stage coaches, or rather the people who rode them -- mainly because of the uncomfortable, bumpy ride they clearly endured. These coaches were designed to cram in an astounding number of people. On the roof, inside the coach, even (it seemed) hanging over the sides. These vehicles aren't gorgeous, but they took the early settlers where they needed to go.

Working Wagons
Of course the category of horse-drawn vehicle also includes wagons. There are wagons used by butchers to make deliveries, with room for the ice as well as the meat. We presume it was best to be one of the first folks on the route rather than one of the last. There were wagons for peddlers to carry their goods from place to place.

Then, there was the popcorn wagon. These decorative open booths on wheels replaced the carts that had previously been used. The one in the collection was built in Chicago in 1907. It boasts an actual corn popping machine to replace popping corn over a open flame. In fact, the wagon was quite an attraction on its own at amusement parks and parades as the men, women, and children not only bought the product, but could watch the gears and cogs in action. It has beveled glass windows, colorful signs and a canvas awning. If you didn't want popcorn, perhaps you'd like the fresh roasted peanuts that was also available.

Even Living-In Wagons
Our personal favorite is the gypsy wagons. We were surprised to discover there were American Gypsies, the descendants of British Gypsies who moved to the United States and Canada during the mid to late 19th century. Here again, art is everything. Yes, the wagons, also known as wardos, had to be functional, but that didn't mean they couldn't be beautiful. There are landscapes, and scrollwork, frosted glass etched with flowers. We were so charmed we (momentarily) thought that would indeed be the way to travel.

Although flash photography isn't allowed, you can take photos if you disable the flash. The guard even offered to take a picture of us standing in the photo-opportunity section of the museum -- a small area that recreates the feel of part of the old town of Stony Brook. Complete with a horse-drawn carriage, hooked up to a reasonably real looking horse, it's hokey but it's charming.

The Art in the Museum
Okay, there are more than carriages. There is art. Some of the visiting exhibitions quite amazing. The main gallery of Margaret M. Blackwell History Museum also contains changing exhibitions. There is also permanent collections -- The Bayman's Art is a replica of a hunting ground, a cottage, and collection of waterfowl decoys, and a miniature room gallery.