Grace Darling

This type of large omnibus, sometimes called a "barge," was used primarily in New England for excursions. Many of these vehicles were named for famous persons or locations; this omnibus is named “Grace Darling” after a popular maritime heroine who was responsible for the dramatic rescue of survivors from a shipwreck off the coast of England in 1838. This omnibus was operated by the Huntress family, owners of a livery business in South Berwick, Maine, from the 1860s to 1904. It was acquired by St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, in 1925 and was used to transport athletic teams to sporting events until 1952, when it was donated to the museum.