Ohio

Ohio is home to several classic carousels. We have not yet visited all of Ohio’s carousels, but those that we have visited are listed below.

Cleveland

Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel
Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society

This 1910 Philadelphia Toboggan Company #19 is a four-row carousel with 44 jumpers, fourteen standers and two chariots. The carousel was beautifully restored by Carousel Works in Mansfield, Ohio. The carousel was at Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland from 1910 to 1969 when it moved to Old Orchard Beach, Maine where it resided from 1970 to 1997 before moving to the museum.

The band organ is a North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works.

For information on operating times call 216-721-5722 or access the museum’s website at http://www.wrhs.org.

For further information:

National Carousel Association

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

Links to Youtube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0izLWmtmhQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Kt-TQd4pU

Columbus

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

The Columbus Zoo opened in 1927 and ever since has been a favorite family attraction. It is a recreation and educational park attracting visitors from all over the United States. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium includes the Zoombezi Bay water park and 18-hole Safari Golf Course.

Jack Hanna became the director of the Columbus Zoo in 1978. He is now Director Emeritus.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has a wonderful collection of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish in habitats as natural as possible. The zoo is home to over 10,000 animals representing over 575 species from all over the world. The grounds are beautiful and meticulously groomed. The staff is friendly and very accommodating. The Zoo offers many educational and recreational programs for adults and children including many outreach programs. Special events are presented throughout the year. The Zoo literature says no two experiences at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium are the same. There are attractions, exhibits and experiences for children of all ages.

The main purpose of our visit was to see the Zoo’s beautifully restored and maintained 1914 Mangels/Illions carousel. The carousel is a three-row carousel with 52 jumpers and two chariots (new replacements). The carousel was originally at Olentangy Park in Columbus, Ohio from 1914 to 1946 when it moved to Wyandot Lake in Powell, Ohio where it resided until 1999 when it was acquired by the Columbus Zoo. It was installed at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in 2000 after a $1,000,000 restoration.

Rides on the carousel are $1.00.

The band organ is a Wurlitzer 153.

For information on operating times call 614-645-3400 or access their website at www.columbuszoo.org.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

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

We wish to thank Ms. Shirley Blaine, Communications Coordinator, for providing us access to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

Links to Youtube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q77BpYFHvjE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3CGZeJqyPQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcPPoN0_M6E

Mason

Kings Island Amusement Park and Soak City

Kings Island is “the largest amusement and waterpark in the Midwest”. It is on 374 acres. At Kings Island there are a variety of kiddie, family and thrill rides. There are fourteen roller coasters including the Philadelphia Toboggan Company’s famous Racer. There are over 100 other attractions for children, adults and families. The park is beautiful, meticulously groomed and very well maintained.

The Grand Carousel at Kings Island is a 1926, 3-row Philadelphia Toboggan Company #79 with 28 Jumpers, 20 Standers and 2 Chariots. Four of the horses have PTC signatures. The carousel was originally located at Coney Island Park in Cincinnati, OH where it remained from 1926 to 1971 when it was moved to Kings Island. The outside row horses are stationary, but the center and inner row horses are jumpers. The carousel is well-maintained and the horses bright and well-cared for.

For information on Kings Island operating times, call 513-754-5700 or access their website at https://visitkingsisland.com/.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

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

The four horses above have PTC signatures.

New Philadelphia

Tuscora Park

Just a few minutes off Interstate 77, Tuscora Park offers wonderful and affordable family entertainment ranging from three swimming pools to miniature golf to vintage rides for children and adults. Admission to the park is free and use of the pool and rides is at a nominal fee.

The highlight of Tuscora Park is the fully restored 1925-1928 Spillman Engineering carousel with 36 jumpers and two chariots. The band organ is a 1928 Wurlitzer 153.

Although the original location of the carousel is not known, the carousel has been at Tuscora Park since 1941.

Also located at the park is a beautiful 1920s C. W. Parker wheel.

For information on operating times access their website at www.newphilaoh.com/html/tuscora_park/index.html or call 330-343-4644.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

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

C. W. Parker Wheel

Put-in-Bay

Kimberly’s Carousel

Kimberly’s Carousel is a 1917 Allan Herschell portable with an operational band organ (Wurlitzer 146A). We have not visited this carousel.

For more information and photographs:

The National Carousel Association

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

Sandusky

Merry-Go-Round Museum

The Merry-Go-Round Museum is a small museum packed with carousel memorabilia such as rounding boards, signs, horses, menagerie animals, photographs, panels, band organs and decorative pieces.

The highlight of the museum is the 1939 Allan Herschell three-row carousel consisting of 27 jumpers, three menagerie animals with one pig, one mule and one ostrich along with two chariots. When purchased by the museum, many figures were missing. The platform was repopulated with horses/menagerie animals from the museum’s collection and from horses/menagerie animals on loan.

For information on operating times call 419-626-6111 or access their website at www.merrygoroundmuseum.org.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

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

Sandusky

Cedar Point

Cedar Point, the Roller Coaster Capital of the World, in Sandusky is also the home of two classic carousels and a Prior and Church racing derby.

Midway Carousel

The Midway Carousel is a circa 1915, four-row D. C. Muller with 60 jumping horses and four chariots. The carousel is one of only two D. C. Muller carousels still in operation. The carousel was originally at Revere Beach, MA and moved to Nantasket Beach in Hull, MA about 1945. It has been at Cedar Point since 1946. The carousel is on the National Register of Historical Places.

The band organ is a Wurlitzer 153.

Link to Youtube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxjCLI7qElM

Kiddy Kingdom Carousel

Kiddy Kingdom is the host of a circa 1921, three-row Dentzel with 27 jumpers, fourteen standers and eleven menagerie animals including 2 bears, one lion, one mule, two ostriches, four rabbits and one tiger along with two chariots. The carousel has been at Cedar Point since 1968.

Link to Youtube vides: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9vJhdtxsxw

Cedar Downs

Racing Derby

The 1921 four-row, 64 horse Prior and Church Racing Derby is only one of two still operational. It was at Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland until 1965 when it moved to Cedar Point.

Links to Youtube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eglyHBko2NE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE8vfVPvg8g&t=1s

For further information on operating times of Cedar Point call 419-627-2350 or access Cedar Point’s website at www.cedarpoint.com.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

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

We wish to thank Ms. Kristy Bacni, Communications Manager, for providing us access to Cedar Point. We also wish to thank Erica for escorting us into the park.