Rhode
Island
Four beautiful and very historic carousels
reside in Rhode Island.
East Providence
(Riverside)
Crescent Park
This classic,
historical carousel was used by Charles Looff to
display his work after he moved his company from Brooklyn, New York to East
Providence, Rhode Island in 1895. The
completely restored carousel, built in 1895, remains in its original location. The carousel has a
50-foot platform consisting of four rows of 56
jumping horses, 5 standing horses, 1 camel and 4 chariots. Each horse is
different. The ring arm is operational. The spectacular band organ is a Ruth
und Sohn Model 38. The carousel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Rides
are $1.00
For
opening times call 401-435-7518.
For further Information:
Crescent Park Looff
Carousel: http://www.crescentparkcarousel.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=mBIg5_OF6Jw
Westerly
Misquamicut Beach State Park/Atlantic
Beach Park
Flying Horses
The Flying Horses
carousel at Misquamicut Beach State Park/Atlantic Beach Park in Westerly, Rhode
Island was manufactured by the Herschell Spillman
Company in 1915. It is a two-platform carousel with 39
jumping horses, one menagerie animal (a poor rendition of a zebra) and two
chariots. Many of the horses are easily recognized as being created by Marcus Illions due to the liberal use of gold leaf. Apparently,
the Illions horses are from an earlier Atlantic Beach
Park carousel. The two chariots are Illions dragons.
Unlike most carousels, this carousel has the smaller horses on the outside
lower platform rather than on the inside.
The
band organ is an Artizan. Regrettably, it was not playing
typical carousel music when we visited.
Rides
are $2.00. For further information call 401-322-6504.
For
further information:
http://carousels.org/USACensus/stdqueries/census-CLA.html
Links
to Youtube videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLXtJRO2YyM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QnHYAS2nOQ
Pawtucket
Slater Memorial
Park
Looff Carousel
The Looff Carousel at Slater Memorial Park was built in 1895. It operated in upstate New York until 1910, when it was
moved to Slater Park. The
animals are stationary. There are 44 standing horses,
six menagerie animals (a camel, 3 dogs, a giraffe and a lion) and
two chariots. The band organ is a 1910 North Tonawanda #109. The carousel has
been on the National Register of Historic
Places since 1976.
Because of its extreme state of disrepair, the carousel was
closed for several years and re-opened in 1979. Grants and private donations
allowed for a complete restoration of the carousel from 1989 to 2001. William
Finkelstein restored each horse and menagerie animal. The power mechanism was
refurbished by Oliver Barrette Millwrights.
The carousel building features a snack bar with popcorn, soda and water.
Rides are $0.50.
For further information call 401-728-0500
x252.
For further
information:
http://www.experiencepawtucket.org/tabid/210/Default.aspx
Mullholland, Bill,
2010, unpublished history available at the carousel.
Carousel History:
The National Carousel Association:
http://carousels.org/index.html
Watch Hill
Watch Hill Park
Flying Horse Carousel
The carousel at
Watch Hill is a portable ca. 1867 “flying horse” built by the Charles W. Dare
Company of New York. The carousel was part of a travelling carnival, but it was
abandoned in Watch Hill in 1889. Before Watch Hill, the carousel was located at
Savin Rock, West Haven, Connecticut from 1883 to 1888.
It is one of the oldest operational carousels and is the oldest flying horse
carousel in America. The ring arm is fully operational.
The twenty horses,
probably carved by Andrew Christian as rocking horses, are in two rows and suspended
by a rod and a chain. It is thought that Christian went into business with
Charles W, Dare, an amusement ride manufacturer, but before Christian carved
new horses, he supplied Dare with surplus rocking horses. It is quite probable
that the horses date to as early as 1861.The horses have horse hair tails and
manes, leather saddles and original agate eyes. The legs are straight out as
would be found on a spring rocking horse giving the appearance that the horses
are flying.
The carousel was
powered by two men turning cranks until they were replaced by a horse. Water
power was used starting in 1897 until the carousel was electrified in 1914.
Remarkably, the
horses were recovered from sand dunes and restored after a 1938 hurricane.
Three chariots were lost, and it was decided they would not be replaced. In
1987, the Watch Hill Flying Horse Carousel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The carousel is
open summers only and is exclusively for children weighing less than 100
pounds.
For further
information call 401-348-6007.
For further Information:
Watch Hill Beach and Carousel
http://watchhillbeachandcarousel.com/
Carousel History
The National
Carousel Association
http://carousels.org/index.html
Links
to Youtube videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_SeItRskJ8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEccep7S3WI
