Grand Carousel
| Other Name(s) | Grand Carousel Caroussel Carrousel Merry-Go-Round |
|---|---|
| Type | Rotating Ride |
| Park Section | Center |
| Built | 1914 |
| Opened | 1914 |
| Closed | 1937 (park closure) |
| Manufacturer | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) William E. Mangels Marcus C. Illions and Sons (Horse carvings) |
| Architect | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) |
| Materials | Wood |
| Vehicle Type | Horses and Chariots |
| Number of Vehicles | 54 horses, 2 chariots |
| Riders per Vehicle | 1 |
The Grand Carousel, was one of a few "merry-go-rounds" at Olentangy Park. Built in 1914, this Coney Island carousel had 54 horses and two chariots, carved by Marcus C. Illions and Sons, in collaboration with William E. Mangels and the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC).[1] The horses are in sets of three. It was moved to another part of the park in 1922.[2] When the park closed, the ride was moved to Scioto Ranch Park, later Wyandot Lake. After it was restored in 2000, it is currently operating at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.[3]
Notes
Ohio history plaques at the site and articles at the time of the carousel's restoration say the ride was built in 1914. However, Mangels worked with Illions to create Coney Island-style carousels early in the century, prior to M.C. Illions and Sons incorporating in 1909, putting the ride's creation much earlier. The National Carousel Association census also lists the carousel as being built in 1914, but the dates listed for Olentangy Park are inaccurate by 9 years.[4]
Other carousels at the park had fanciful creatures, with a notable exception in 1930 when a new carousel called "Merry-Go-Round De Luxe" opened with most, if not all, horses.[5] It had the same number of horses, and the idea of using all horses was a "new" idea at the time.[6] It is possible that this was the same "Grand Carousel," just restored decades after installation since photos from the 1910s-1920s show a carousel with horses in the building of the first Dancing Pavilion.[7]
See Also
- Merry-Go-Round (1) - Original Merry-Go-Round built for the park's 1896 opening season.
- Merry-Go-Round (2) - Merry-Go-Round purchased from the Columbus Zoological Company in 1906.
- Merry-Go-Round De Luxe - "New" in 1930, strikingly similar to the Grand Carousel and possibly the same ride
References
- ↑ Fried, Frederick. A Pictorial History of the Carousel.
- ↑ "Park Opens Today." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 16 April 1922. Pg. 68.
- ↑ Carousel News and Trader. June 2010. http://esq.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/06/54d453969ae59_-_Carousel_News_and_Trader_BW_Borrelli_JUNE_2010.pdf
- ↑ "Grand Carousel, Columbus Zoo, Powell, OH." National Carousel Association. Census Query. Last Updated: 2016. Accessed 1 June 2024. https://carousels.org/USACensus/census.pl.
- ↑ "Bottle, At Least, To Be Broken On Head Of Good Bucephalus, Lead Horse Of Olentangy Carrousel." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 17 April 1930. Pg. 20.
- ↑ "Psychology Enters Even Into Carrousel Game." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 23 April 1930. Pg. 16.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park Gazebo." Ohio History Connection Selections. Photo. Online Database Entry Created: 3 August 2011. https://www.ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p267401coll32/id/11683