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
Rounding
Boards
Inside
Scenery Panel
L:
Artizan A Band Organ; R: Ticket Booth