Chariot Made by William Ross for Angelica Campbell, 1792-1802

Angelica Bratt Campbell's choice of this sporty, two-passenger carriage allowed the wealthy woman to ride in style and comfort. Purchased from New York City coachmaker William Ross, the carriage traveled by boat up the Hudson and Mohawk rivers to Schenectady, where Angelica's husband had made his vast fortune as a trader and merchant. In the late 1790s carriages were much rarer than cars are today. Horses were expensive to maintain, especially for city dwellers. Most people who could afford a carriage had small, open vehicles that they drove themselves. Only the wealthy had closed carriages, in which passengers rode inside protected from the weather, driven by coachmen who sat outside. Coaches held four to six passengers, while chariots held two. To provide a smoother ride over rough roads or cobblestone streets, this chariot's body is suspended from tall iron springs called whip springs. Textiles-expensive at this time-were used lavishly in its interior upholstery and exterior draping.