The Omnibus was a public vehicle first used in Paris in 1662 and put on the road by Blaise Pascal. It was not well received as it only lasted a year or so. The idea was revived in 1819 by Monsieur Jaques La Fitte. He wanted to produce a public vehicle as an alternative to the existing coaches and carts. Coaches were being used by a man called Baudry to convey passengers to private bath houses. Across the road from the baths was a shop owned by Omnes. Above the door of the shop hung a sign saying "Omnes Omnibus" "All things for everybody". The name was borrowed by Baudry, and he had "Baudry's Omnibus" put on the side of his coach. La Fitte liked the idea and he too called his public vehicle an Omnibus.

In 1829 an Omnibus was put on the road with twenty-two inside seats. By 1850 roof-top seating for outside passengers was introduced. These seats could be reached by climbing an iron ladder at the rear of the bus. The Omnibus was likely the forerunner of the London double-decker bus.

In 1831 the first American Omnibus was built in New York by John Stephenson who was later to become the nations foremost Omnibus builder. Most Omnibuses carried from 12 to 14 passengers. They continued to be used until the 1920's.

Shown is a Private Omnibus sometimes referred to as an Opera Bus. It could seat from four to six passengers inside. The Omnibus shown is known as a Rockaway Omnibus because of its rectangular shape and the roof extension over the drivers seat, found on Rockaway Carriages. The Omnibus was meant to be coachman driven therefore the drivers seat is open. It has a metal luggage rack on the roof. "Whiffletree Manor" is painted on the side. This was the name of the guesthouse of Mrs. Viola Townsend Winmill the previous owner of the omnibus.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The Encyclopaedia of Carriage Driving. Sallie Walrond, 1988
Looking at Carriages. Sallie Walrond,1980
Prairie Primer a little bit about light horse-drawn vehicles. Kenneth Kopitzke
Carriage Terminology: An Historical Dictionary. Don H. Berkeble, 1978