Ohio: Some Old Carousels Are Still Entertaining Young and Old

[The Interpreter]

http://www.auroraadvocate.com/news/article/4477506

[XGatorHead 8904]

Nice article, but proofreading should have been required. Direct quote from above article:

My folks used to about going to Moonlight Ballroom to hear play

And my folks used to about going to Coney Island to Shooting Star.

Now if only KI would get it's organ back!

[CoastersRZ]

Very true. The band organ on Kings Island`s carousel is sourly missed by me.

Since we are on the topic of carousel history, I`ll through in some history about another PTC carousel that used to operate in the Cincinnati area, besides the one that is currently at Kings Island and originally operated at Coney Island. In 1918, the Cincinnati Zoo purchased carousel #45 from PTC. It operated at the zoo for 56 years until 1974. In 1974, it was purchased by the Marriott Corporation for use at Great America in California. It operated there until 1996. From there it was placed in storage until eventually being donated to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle Washington. The ride reopened in a new pavilion on May 1st, 2007, and it continues to thrill guests to this day. Ironically, several years ago the Cincinnati Zoo decided to once again operate a carousel, and purchased an animal themed carousel from Chance Morgan Manufacturing, which is not anywhere near as elegant or majestic as the PTC that once operated at the park.

[violakat03]

I've only recently really fallen in love with carousels and go out of my way to ride them whenever possible. I find the statistic about "375 operating" to be interesting - I'd have guessed there were a lot more than that!! You can sometimes find them in really unexpected places - and not just zoos or fairgrounds.

The mall I used to work has a carousel - Wolfchase Galleria in Memphis TN. I'd love to know more about it but can't seem to find any information on where it came from or if it was made specificially for the mall. I've never had a chance to ride it - I didn't go to the mall in my off time because I was there more than enough as a store manager, but I probably will on my next visit to Memphis. I did get to ride the carousel at the now defunct Libertyland, which is another carousel that's on the national historic register (along with Libertyland's Zippin Pippin roller coaster, which was built in 1912 and is one of the oldest still in existence). There's a company trying to move both the Pippin and the carousel to a proposed development on the river bank.

[StalkerChick]

There's a carousel in a mall in Cleveland?? too I think. I love carousels. I was Paris, and there's a carousel right across the street from the Eiffel Tower. Out of 5 ppl I was only able to drag one other person on it with me. Even after I offered to pay!! People just don't know how to have good old fashioned fun anymore

[jandyb79]

Kings Islands carousel horse curator (who allowed me to take this picture) told me that the Wurlitzer could be repaired for a sum less than you would expect. I had wanted to try and set up a fund raiser of sort, which is the only reason I joined the boards to begin with, in order to raise the funds and get the #165 repaired. He told me that it takes a lot of public interest to accomplish such a feet, but would gladly offer any assistance necessary. I would love to see someone take the bull by the horns and see if this can be accomplished.

[Tomkatt7]

If you fancy a nice horsey ride, stop in to the Columbus Zoo next time you are in town.

Located on the west side of the Zoo near Bob and Evelyn’s Roadhouse, enjoy the upbeat sounds and the thrill of riding on our authentic 1914 Mangel-Illions Carousel complete with 52 original horses, chariots and band organ.

It's pretty cool, they built a canopy around it, so in the summer, you can take a ride, and cool off in the A/C

[PhantomTheater]

I've only recently really fallen in love with carousels and go out of my way to ride them whenever possible. I find the statistic about "375 operating" to be interesting - I'd have guessed there were a lot more than that!! You can sometimes find them in really unexpected places - and not just zoos or fairgrounds.

That number reflects hand carved wooden carousels I believe. There is an old quote that "the carousel is the heart of an amusement park." Unfortunately, I do not know the origin.

[Monroe]

I have two sites that fit this, the first is a document on the Wurlitzer band organ. How they work and the different models, KI has a Wurlitzer #165:

http://www.wurlitzer-rolls.com/appendix.html

This second site is for the Herschell Carrousel Factory in Buffalo NY. They still make them by hand and have 2 carousels that you can ride, one from 1916. Lots of fun.

http://www.carrouselmuseum.org/index.html