Merry-Go-Round
| Type | Rotating Ride |
|---|---|
| Park Section | South Center |
| Built | 1896 |
| Opened | 1896 |
| Closed | 1937 (park closure) |
| Designer | E. Joy Morris and others |
| Vehicle Type | Wooden Animal Sculptures |
The Merry-Go-Round was an amusement device where riders would mount wooden sculptures of animals that would simulate a riding movement along a vertical pole for each sculpture. It was operated by electricity, and a central organ provided music. There were likely multiple merry-go-rounds,[1] but they are separate from the Carousel. The original Merry-Go-Round was just inside the City of Columbus' boundaries in 1899, near the ravine.[2] In 1906, it was moved to the building that housed the first Dancing Pavilion located near the park entrance and the Ferris Wheel[3], however, this could have been the Grand Carousel.[4]
At least one of the merry-go-rounds were built by E. Joy Morris.[5]
In 1897, rides were free for children under 10 and ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the park season.[6]
Description
When the park first opened in 1896, the Merry-Go-Round was described as having "beasts and birds and dreadful-looking animals."[7] In 1906, the "Merry-Go-Round" had "gay rocking horses and chariots and [had a] big organ."[3]
Events
The ride lost power due to a lightning strike in June 1902.[8]
Injuries and Deaths
On July 12, 1902, Mrs. John Hindmarch, 57, fell from the ride while at the park with her two granddaughters. She fell while checking on her granddaughter, her head landing on a rock. She later died from her injuries. Her family had just moved to Columbus from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania two months prior.[9][10]
On July 6, 1905, during an outing for orphans and poor children hosted by the Salvation Army, Eral Roach became dizzy while riding the merry-go-round and fell from a horse. He was badly shaken and bruised but recovered.[11]
A woman was injured when she was thrown from one of the merry-go-round rides in June 1912.[12]
See Also
- Grand Carousel - Often called the "merry-go-round," but is a separate ride.
- Merry-Go-Round De Luxe - "New" in 1930, strikingly similar to the Grand Carousel and possibly the same ride
References
- ↑ Clay Record. United States: Clay Record Publishing Company, 1903. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Clay_Record/c6pPAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
- ↑ "Without Kids Gloves." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 27 July 1989. Pg. 6.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Olentangy Park." The Democrat-Sentinel (Logan, OH). 14 June 1906. Pg. 2. Clip 1 | Clip 2
- ↑ "Auspicious Day for Park Opening." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 30 April 1906. Pg. 6.
- ↑ "E. Joy Morris - Philadelphia's Forgotten Carousel Builder." Carousel News and Trader. Published March 1989. Vol. 5, No.3. Accessed 1 June 2024. [1]. Special thanks to the members of the Carousel Figure Identification Facebook group.
- ↑ Ad. Columbus Evening Dispatch. 31 July 1897. Pg. 6.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park Opened." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 13 June 1896. Pg. 5.
- ↑ "Brevities." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 14 June 1902. Pg. 6.
- ↑ Sunday Columbus Dispatch. 13 July 1902. Pg. 8.
- ↑ "A Fatal Ride." Monday Columbus Dispatch. 14 July 1902. Pg. 8.
- ↑ "Little Children of the Poor Have Day of Pleasure." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 6 July 1905. Pg. 1.
- ↑ "Thrown from Merry-Go-Round." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 20 June 1912. Pg. 5.