Massachusetts

Massachusetts is home to six beautiful, pre-1930 classic carousels.

Agawam

Six Flags New England

The carousel at Six Flags New England is a 1909 Mangels/Illions four row with 48 jumping horses, 20 standing horses, one lion, two deer, one tiger and two chariots. The Wurlitzer 146-B band organ is in storage. The carousel was originally at the Savin Rock Amusement Park in West Haven, Connecticut from 1909 to 1940 when it was moved to its present location. Although restored to its original condition from 1986 to 1987, most of the inside horses are in dire need of restoration again. The carousel contains one of the four Illions’ American Beauty (named after the rose) horses.

For further information and opening times access www.sixflags.com/newengland or call 413-786-9300.

For further information:

National Carousel Association

http://carousels.org/USACensus/stdqueries/census-CLA.html

Links to Youtube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0y3ezc6DGI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywllZ5W03BI

American Beauty

Fall River

The Fall River Carousel

Battleship Cove

The carousel at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts is a 46-foot, 1919 Philadelphia Toboggan Company #54, 3 row carousel with 28 jumping horses, 20 standing horses and 2 chariots.

The carousel was originally located in Lincoln Park in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts until the park closed in 1987. The community of Fall River worked diligently to raise funds to refurbish the carousel and move it to Battleship Cove in 1991. The carousel is open daily from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October.

Rides are $3.00 each. Annual memberships are also available.

For further information call: 508-678-1100

Battleship Cove is America’s Fleet Museum with several ships including the USS Massachusetts, The submarine Lionfish, the destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., PT 617 and PT 796.

The web site of Battleship Cove is http://www.battleshipcove.org/.

Link to Youtube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyORvbROQXg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2tYS0cDToo

Holyoke

Holyoke Heritage State Park

This classic carousel, located in Holyoke, Massachusetts was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (#80) built between 1927 and 1929. The carousel has three rows consisting of 28 jumping horses, 20 standing horses, and 2 chariots on a 48-foot diameter platform. The band organ is an Artizan C-2/Wurlitzer. At least some of the horses seem to have been carved by Daniel C. Muller as the details are very characteristic of his work. Other of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company artisans who were likely to have been involved in the creation of this carousel are Frank Carretta and John Zalar. The poles are made of wood and the panels exhibit the original artwork.

The carousel was originally located at Mountain Park on Mt. Tom in Holyoke, Massachusetts from 1927 to 1988. It was moved to its present location, Heritage State Park, at 221 Appleton Street in Holyoke in 1993.

Rides are $2.00. For further information, call 413-538-9838.

For further Information:

The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round: http://www.holyokemerrygoround.org/

Carousel History: http://carouselhistory.com/

The National Carousel Association: http://carousels.org/index.html

Links to Youtube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKeaplFd5Us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2cux5oD_C4

Hull

Paragon Carousel

The Paragon Carousel, located at 1 Wharf Avenue in Hull, Massachusetts was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1928. It was designated by the company as #85. The carousel had been a fixture at the famed Paragon Park at Nantasket Beach since 1928. When Paragon Park closed in 1986, the carousel was moved to its present location. It is a 4-row carousel with 42 jumpers, 24 standing horses and two very beautiful and rare Roman chariots. The band organ is a Wurlitzer 146B with a Wurlitzer 153 Facade. The carousel is beautifully decorated with original paintings. The carousel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Each chariot, carved by the G. A. Dentzel Company is pulled by two horses. The carousel has recently been restored by James Hardison, whom we met on a visit in April 2016. Several horses and one chariot have been completed. A visit to the Paragon Carousel is an excellent way to see the difference between a horse that has not been restored and one that is restored. Obviously, many hours, ingenuity and great patience are needed.

Rides are $3.00. For further information call 781-925-0472.

For further Information:

The Paragon Carousel: www.paragoncarousel.com

Carousel History: http://carouselhistory.com/

The National Carousel Association: http://carousels.org/index.html

Link to Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11OXew8mkrw

(R) One of the Roman chariots pulled by two horses.

The restored Roman chariot and one of the two horses. The second horse has been restored, but had not been installed when we visited.

Oak Bluffs

Martha’s Vineyard

Flying Horses

Flying Horses is the oldest platform carousel in America. It was manufactured by Charles W. Dare in 1876 and located at Coney Island, New York. In1884, it was purchased by F. O. Gordon and moved to Oak Bluffs. The carousel has had several subsequent owners.

The all wood carousel consists of 2 rows of 20 stationary horses and 4 chariots on a 36-foot diameter platform. The horses were possibly carved by Andrew Christian whose original focus was carving rocking horses. Christian also carved the horses on the Watch Hill, Rhode Island carousel. The horses have leather ears, glass sulfide eyes and horsehair tails and manes. The ring arm is operational and provides a great source of entertainment for the riders of various ages. The band organ is a 1923 Wurlitzer 103. Interestingly, the carousel was originally powered by steam, but it was electrified in 1900. The carousel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

To prevent it from being dismantled and sold to collectors, the carousel was acquired by the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust in 1986. It was restored to its original condition by Rosa Regan, the premier carousel conservator in the United States. The following chant has been heard from jump ropers throughout the years:

There’s a Carousel in Oak Bluffs town,
         The horses don’t go up or down,
         The horses just go ‘round and ‘round,
         On the Carousel in Oak Bluffs town.

Rides are $3.00. For information on opening times call 508-693-9481.

For further information:

Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust: http://mvpreservation.org/properties/flying-horses-carousel/

Carousel History: http://carouselhistory.com/

The National Carousel Association: http://carousels.org/index.html

Links to Youtube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLwDGgvTThc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDQIFhk5Vp0

Salisbury Beach

In 2019, the carousel at Salisbury Beach was rescued from storage by the Salisbury Beach Partnership. The carousel was owned by the Winterstein family, the original and only owners of the carousel. The carousel, a 1909, 3-row Mangels/Loof, Stein and Goldstein/Carmel menagerie model is populated with 16 jumpers, 19 standers, 3 goats, 3 camels, 3 giraffes, 1 zebra, and 2 bench chariots (one chariot remains in storage). Each figure is sporting a new tail! The carousel is in excellent and beautiful condition and is adorned with many lights that will remain on 24/7/365. The carousel resides in a new pavilion built specially for the carousel. Although it is not known where the carousel was originally located, from 1915 to 1984, it was located at Harvey’s Lake Picnic Grove in Harvey’s Lake, Pennsylvania. From 1986 to 1996, the carousel resided at Old Town in Kissimmee, Florida, and from 1996 to 2006 at International Market World in Auburndale, Florida. It was in storage from 2006 until it was rescued by the Salisbury Beach Partnership.

Carousel music is recorded.

Rides are $4.00.

For operating times call 863-665-0062.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

http://carousels.org/index.html

The Salisbury Beach Carousel

http://salisburybeachcarousel.org

Sandwich

Heritage Museum and Gardens

The carousel at Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts is a Charles Looff three row carousel with 29 jumping horses, two goats and two chariots. It has been reported that a giraffe was removed and is on display with some Dentzel menagerie animals from other carousels. During our visit, the giraffe was not on display.

The carousel was constructed by Looff in Riverside, Rhode Island probably in 1908. The history of the carousel is elusive, but research by Elaine Pokropowicz and David Buge (http://www.carouselnews.com/2009-Annual-Buyer-s-Guide/2009-Annual-Buyer-s-Guide/Mystery-of-the-Heritage-Museum-and-Gardens-Carousel-in-Sandwich-MA.html) may have uncovered some of its history. The carousel has been in the possession of the Heritage Museum and Gardens since1969. It opened to the public in 1972.

The horses are classic Looff creations of various styles. Many of the horses have jewels and plaid saddle blankets. The tails are real horse hair.

The Heritage Museum and Gardens is open April through October. There are several beautiful flower gardens that blossom throughout the open season. When we were there rhododendrons were in full array. There is also a museum of classic automobiles and a museum of movie costumes, beautiful paintings, carvings of birds, military miniatures and other rare objects on site.

Rides (unlimited) are complimentary with the purchase of a Heritage Museum and Gardens admission: $18.00 for adults and $8.00 for children.

For further information call 508-888-3300.

Visit the museum and web site at www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org.

Link to Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5FxVS1-uZQ

The lead horse. Note sword, winged breast plate and head armor.