Art
This 1882 design sketch shows an omnibus—a horse-drawn carriage for hire that carried multiple passengers on regular routes through city streets. For most Americans who couldn't afford private carriages, omnibuses were the main way to move around town quickly and affordably.
Art · Full story
You step onto the wooden platform, settling onto the worn velvet bench as the driver cracks the reins. Around you, a shopkeeper, a nurse, a clerk—strangers packed shoulder to shoulder, jolting over cobblestones toward the train station, the factory, home. The driver calls out street names; you pull the cord when yours comes up.
Reflect
What parts of your daily commute feel most like riding this 1882 omnibus, and what feels completely different?