The smell is what hits you first. It isn't just popcorn and diesel; it’s that heavy, sweet scent of old varnish and century-old grease. You’re standing in front of an old merry go round, and honestly, it feels like a time machine. The music—that wheezing, breathless sound of a Wurlitzer band organ—is slightly out of tune, yet it’s the most perfect thing you’ve heard all day. There is something deeply visceral about a machine that was built to last 150 years and actually did.
Most people look at a modern plastic carousel and see a ride. They look at a hand-carved old merry go round and see a ghost story. These aren't just amusement park fixtures. They are massive, rotating galleries of American folk art. During the "Golden Age" of carousels, roughly between 1880 and 1930, thousands of these machines were handcrafted by European immigrants who brought their master-carving skills to the United States. Today, fewer than 150 of those original wooden carousels remain operational in North America. That’s a staggering loss of craftsmanship.
The Three Styles You’ve Probably Seen (But Didn’t Realize)
If you think every old merry go round looks the same, you haven't looked close enough. Carousel historians—yes, that is a real and very serious job—break these beauties down into three distinct "schools" or styles.
The Philadelphia Style is the one that usually takes your breath away. It’s realistic. It’s grand. Think of the Dentzel Carousel Company or the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC). These horses have visible veins in their necks, intricate muscles, and saddles that look like they were stripped off a real stallion. They are literal.
Then you have the Coney Island Style. It’s basically the "extra" version of a carousel. These horses are flamboyant. We’re talking silver leaf, gold leaf, jewels everywhere, and manes that look like they’re whipping in a hurricane. Since they were designed to compete for attention on the crowded boardwalks of New York, they had to be loud. Carvers like Charles Carmel or Marcus Illions were the rockstars of this style.
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Finally, there’s the County Fair Style. These were built to travel. They’re smaller, leaner, and designed to be disassembled and thrown onto a wagon. Spillman Engineering or Allan Herschell machines are the classics here. They aren’t as ornate, but they have a rugged, charming simplicity.
Why the "Outside Row" is Always the Best
Next time you’re at a historic site like Glen Echo Park in Maryland or the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, look at the horses on the outermost edge. These are the "standing" horses, and they are almost always the most elaborate. Why? Because that’s what the public sees as they walk by.
The carvers put their soul into the "romance side"—the side of the horse facing the audience. On an old merry go round, the right side of the horse is usually much more detailed than the left (inland) side because that’s the side everyone sees as the machine spins counter-clockwise. You’ll find extra carvings of flowers, eagles, or even portraits of the carver’s family hidden in the trappings of the outside row.
The Mechanics of the Spin
The center pole is the spine. Everything hangs from it. It’s usually a massive trunk of Douglas fir or a steel girder on later models. If you’ve ever wondered why some horses move up and down and others don't, it’s all about the overhead "crank" system. The "jumpers" are the ones that move, suspended on rods connected to a rotating overhead gear. The "standers" are bolted to the platform.
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It’s heavy work. A full-sized wooden carousel can weigh 20 tons. Keeping that weight balanced while it spins at five or six miles per hour requires a level of engineering that would make modern mechanics sweat. They used leather belts, steam engines, and eventually electric motors.
The Tragic Loss of the Great Carousels
It’s kinda heartbreaking when you realize why so many disappeared. During the Great Depression, these machines were expensive to maintain. Wood rots. Paint peels. When parks closed, the carousels were often chopped up. In the 1970s and 80s, the "collector" market almost finished them off. It became more profitable for owners to strip the horses off the platform and sell them individually at auction houses like Sotheby’s than to run the ride.
A single pristine horse by a master like Salvatore Cernigliaro could fetch tens of thousands of dollars. This led to "headless" carousels where the original wooden animals were replaced with cheap fiberglass copies.
Fortunately, organizations like the National Carousel Association (NCA) stepped in. They started documenting the remaining machines and pushing for "operating landmarks" status. They realized that a carousel horse in a museum is a statue, but a carousel horse on a spinning platform is alive.
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The Men Behind the Wood
- Gustav Dentzel: Basically the pioneer. He started in Germany and brought the craft to Philadelphia. His work is known for being regal and dignified.
- Charles I.D. Looff: He built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. He loved variety—his carousels featured camels, giraffes, and even sea monsters.
- The Philadelphia Toboggan Company: Known for the legendary "PTC #6" or "PTC #15." These are the Cadillacs of the carousel world.
Why We Still Care
Maybe it’s the escapism. You’re on a hand-carved wooden animal, the lights are blurring, and for three minutes, the world isn't about emails or politics. It’s about centrifugal force and a painted smile.
Honestly, the old merry go round is one of the few places where "immigrant history" and "childhood wonder" intersect so perfectly. These carvers were often fleeing turmoil in Europe, and they carved their dreams into these blocks of basswood and poplar. They weren't just making toys; they were making monuments to the idea of joy.
How to Spot a "Real" Antique
- Check the ears. If the ears are carved as part of the head (not separate pieces of wood), it’s often a sign of high-quality craftsmanship.
- Look for the "hollow" sound. Modern fiberglass sounds thin when you tap it. Old wood has a dull, solid thud.
- Search for the "Romance Side." If the right side of the horse is way more fancy than the left, you’re looking at a classic American carousel.
- Glass eyes. Real glass eyes give the animals a "follow-me" look that plastic just can't replicate.
Preserving the Spin
If you want to see these in the wild, you've gotta travel. Head to Missoula, Montana, where a community built "A Carousel for Missoula" by hand-carving new horses in the old style. Or visit the Jane’s Carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park—a 1922 PTC masterpiece that was meticulously restored over 20 years.
Supporting these machines means actually riding them. Buy the ticket. Take the brass ring. Yes, some still have the brass ring machine! If you're on the outside row, you reach out and try to grab a ring from a dispenser. If you get the brass one, you usually win a free ride. It’s a tradition that’s nearly extinct, but places like the Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, still keep it alive.
Actionable Steps for Enthusiasts
- Visit a "Permanent" Collection: Check out the The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, or the Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania. Knoebels is famous for keeping two world-class antique carousels in pristine, working order.
- Join the National Carousel Association: They provide a census of every operating wooden carousel left in the US. It’s the best "road trip" guide you’ll ever find.
- Check the Paint: If you see a horse that looks like it has "alligator skin" (cracked paint), don't be sad. That’s often the original park paint or "old" restoration work that shows the wood is breathing.
- Respect the "No Touching" Rules: If a horse is roped off, it’s because the oils from human hands can degrade the 100-year-old finish. Admire the carving, but let the horse live to spin another day.
The old merry go round isn't just an "old ride." It’s a survivor. It survived the advent of the roller coaster, the birth of the television, and the rise of the internet. It reminds us that sometimes, going in circles is exactly what we need to find our center.