Mississippi

There are two classic, pre-1930 carousels in Mississippi.

Greenville

Delta Children’s Museum

E. E. Bass Cultural Arts Center

The Delta Children’s Museum is home to a beautiful and historic 1901 Armitage-Herschell, two-row, portable track carousel. There are twenty-four jumpers and four chariots, only one of which (Humpty Dumpty) is new. The horses are of the Country Fair design. Note that the front legs are bent so that they can be positioned over a pole to make them more portable and easily transportable. It was original steam powered, and the original steam engine is on display at the site.

There is no band organ.

The carousel has been in several locations in Greenville, Mississippi since 1901. It was in storage from 1988 to 2007 at which time it was acquired by the Delta Children’s Museum.

The Delta Children’s Museum is “a non- profit civic organization dedicated to providing Mississippi Delta residents (primarily children – and adults when the occasion presents itself) with hands – on, participatory and visual learning experiences in the arts and sciences.”

For more information on directions and operating times call 601-485-1904 or access their website at www.greenville-arts-council.com.

We thank Lesadie Chambers, Interim Director of the Arts Center, for taking time to show us this very historic and rare carousel. She was very cordial and answered all our questions about the carousel.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

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

Note that to the inside of the inside row horses is a raised area resembling a bench. Most likely, this area was used to hold

chairs and/or benches for people to sit. The two other Armitage-Herschell track carousels we have seen (Newfield, Maine

and Schenevus, New York) had original benches and chairs on this level.

Original Steam Engine

Meridian

Highland Park

Meridian is home to a beautiful and excellently maintained, 1896 (maybe 1904), two-row Dentzel stationary carousel. It is one of only three stationary Dentzel carousels still in operation. The carousel consists of twenty standers, eight menagerie animals including one lion, one tiger, two giraffes, two goats and two deer, and two chariots. Many of the inside horses are prancers. The 1984-1995 restoration by Rosa Ragan was beautifully executed returning the paint scheme to the original. The scenery panels and rounding boards are also excellently restored.

The carousel was originally at the 1904 St. Louis Exposition but was purchased by the City of Meridian in 1909 where it has remained since. The carousel is housed in a beautiful building complete with a small snack bar. The original ticket booth is inside the building. The carousel and house are on the National Register of Historic Places. Both the carousel and house are National Landmarks. The house was constructed from Dentzel plans and is the only Dentzel carousel house remaining that was built from Dentzel’s original plans/blueprints.

The band organ is an Artizan A, but it is not currently functional. Recorded music is used.

Rides are 50 cents.

The carousel is located at the beautifully groomed Highland Park which not only is home to the carousel but also includes a swimming pool, a playground, the Jimmie Rodgers Museum, a duck pond, Frank Cochran Center, Kendallwood Craft Center, two tennis courts, two baseball and softball fields, four picnic/shelter pavilions and two basketball courts. Highland Park is an example of one of the “streetcar pleasure” parks that became popular as a street car line was constructed to take citizens to the park. In this case the line was constructed by the Meridian Light and Railway Company.

The Highland Park carousel is located in a setting where all classic and historic carousels should be housed so all citizens and visitors can enjoy them. So many classic and historic carousels have been purchased by large amusement parks that charge nearly $50 to enter. The high price excludes many people from ever seeing these historical machines.

For more information on directions and operating times call 601-485-1904 or access their website at www.meridianms.org/pr_carousel.htm.

We wish to thank Danielle for taking the time to show us the carousel during a time it was not open to the public. Danielle explained the history and was very patient with us while we asked questions and took photographs. She was enthusiastic about the carousel and was obviously a wonderful ambassador for Meridian, Highland Park, and the classic Dentzel carousel.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

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