While
Holman-Howe Funeral Homes maintain one of the most beautiful
fleet of professional blue Cadillac vehicles in South Missouri.....,
it is even more widely known for its fleet of antique funeral
vehicles. The funeral home has available a 1955 Miller/Cadillac
flower car, a
1890 S & S Horsedrawn Hearse,
as well
as the crown jewel of the entire fleet, The 1950 Presidential
Lincoln Limousine of Harry S. Truman.
These vehicles are available for use upon request. Area
residents are welcome to stop by and view these vehicles
which are often parked outside on sunny days for public
viewing.
Presidential
Car returns home...
to Missouri
A famous car returns this week to its Missouri
roots. In 1949 the Truman Administration commissioned Ford
Motor Company to build eighteen (18) Presidential Limousines
for exclusive use of the President of the United States.
One of the few that remained after 50 years, was purchased
by Lebanon funeral director and car collector, Kenneth Howe.
"We purchased the car from a Florida
car collector who was selling his entire collection due
to ill health". I recently visited the Fred Hunter
collection in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, with the interest to potentially
trade for, or purchase one of his antique hearses. When
I saw this limousine, I could not help but want to bring
this car back to its Missouri roots. Although the car was
never stationed in Missouri, there are less than four (4)
accounted for of the original eighteen (18). Number One,
which was stationed at the White House is in a museum in
Sweden, serial number 50LP(Lincoln Presidential) 6237H is
one car and 50LP6238 is housed in the Truman Library in
Independence, MO. Another car is reportedly in the Harrah
Collection in Nevada. The other cars were continued to be
used by the Eisenhower Administration until they were damaged
or used beyond restoration.
Our car has been fully restored to its original condition.
According to Mark Beveridge of the Truman Library…
"You have purchased the 1950 Special
Custom Lincoln Cosmopolitan seven passenger limousine, serial
number 50LP6237H. Your car has a special body built by Henney
Motor Company, Inc., of Freeport, Illinois, under the direction
of Lincoln-Mercury engineers and with the aid of Lincoln
technicians. The car's high compression engine develops
152 horsepower and the chassis is specially equipped with
a heavy duty, Cadillac commercial type, Hydra-Matic transmission,
two-section drive shaft, and 8.20 X 15 tires. The script
on the sides of the limousines reads, "Lincoln"
instead of "Cosmopolitan." The car is painted
black with a black landau top of pyroxlin-coated fabric.
It has two, fresh air heaters, one under the hood for the
driver and one fitted into the trunk for the passengers.
The rear heater is connected to the radiator with tubes
and a special fresh air inlet protrudes above the top to
the rear deck. The car was originally equipped with front
and rear compartment radios and an intercom system".
"We are delighted to bring this little
bit of history back to Missouri," states Howe, "and
particularly to have the car's new home in Lebanon, Missouri."
The
Harry S. Truman Limousine placed 1st at the 26th Annual
Professional Car Society's International Meet, in Grand
Rapids, Michigan,for the limousine class, and was the talk
of the show for many that were members as well as the visitors
at the "open to public" show.
Late
1890's Sayers & Scovill Horsedrawn Hearse
The
earliest model edition to the Holman-Howe Antique Funeral
Livery
Awaiting
the departure for Mt. Rose Memorial Park
Kenneth
Howe, President of Holman-Howe Funeral Homes, is a member
of the Professional Car Society which is dedicated to the
preservation of antique funeral coaches, ambulances and
limousines. Holman-Howe Funeral Homes and Lebanon, Missouri
hosted the 25 Silver Anniversary Annual International Meet
of the Professional Car Society, August 1-4, 2001.
