Carousels reached the U.S. in the 1800s thanks to European immigrants. During the height of the “Golden Age of Carousels” (1880-1930) between 2,000-3,000 hand-carved and painted carousels operated in the states. More than one hundred years later, the number of operating antique carousels has dropped to below 200.
What Happened?
Hurricanes and floods destroyed some carousels. Fires wiped out others. But the death blow came with the 1929 Stock Market Crash. If you couldn’t buy food, clothes, or other essentials during the Great Depression, you certainly wouldn’t spend money on entertainment like carousels.
More than a decade passed. World War II began and laid claim to most supplies and labor. Eventually, though, things improved. Unfortunately, by the time this happened, most carousel manufacturers had gone out of business, taking with them the knowledge and craftsmanship of carving wooden carousel animals. When manufacturing of carousels once again resumed, animal bodies were first cast-aluminum, then later fiberglass.
Rediscovering a Lost Art
At the beginning of the 1900s, craftsmanship was everything. Today, some of that lost craftsmanship is being rediscovered, at least in Tennessee.
In 2019, Ken Means, a master carver and painter, moved to Franklin, TN, from Oregon, where he’d operated his own carousel carving school for more than 20 years. He loves carousels and, at 81, has spent nearly 30 years carving whimsical animals for a future carousel. His studio, located in a local retail and entertainment complex, attracts hundreds of visitors.
According to a recent local newspaper article, his carousel animals are close to being done, and the new owners of the complex have proposed adding a building to house Ken’s carousel when completed.
In March 2020, Tennessee Crossroads, featured Ken Means in a segment. To watch it, click here.
Another experienced woodcarver is Chattanooga’s own Larry Ridge. He is the master carver, and current owner, of Horsin’ Around Carousel Carving School. Founded by Bud Ellis in 1985, it’s the only full-time carousel animal carving school in the U.S. The purpose of the school is to share the knowledge and skills required to carve carousel animals the way it was done back in the 1800s. Larry has taught both his son and grandson these skills, making Horsing Around a three-generation family legacy.
In March 2018, a local TV News Station interviewed Larry. Check it out here. Larry not only teaches carving but also helps take care of Chattanooga’s Coolidge Park and Zoo Carousels. Watch Larry’s interview and the Coolidge Park Carousel in this YouTube Video from 2020.
Let’s Ride
Some people want to visit all the U.S. capitols. Others want to visit all the U.S. baseball parks. Maybe you’d like to ride all the carousels in the U.S. Whether that’s your goal, or you just want to find one close, here’s a map of all U.S. carousels.
Remember, if you happen to find yourself in Chattanooga or Nashville (or Kingsport, Ober Gatlinburg, or Memphis), don’t leave without taking a spin on one of the local carousels. And for a firsthand view of the work that goes into creating these carousel animals, visit Ken’s workshop at The Factory in Franklin, or Larry’s Horsin’ Around Carousel Carving School in Soddy Daisy (Chattanooga).
Bonus Did You Know? – Carousels
- The oldest carousel that still exists was built in 1780 and is located at Wilhelmsbad Park in Hanau, Germany.
- At 262’ high, the Himmmelskibet carousel at Tivolia Gardens in Denmark is the tallest.
- The fastest, at 18 mph, is the restored carousel at Eldridge Park in Elmira, NY.
- With six, free-to-ride carousels, Birmingham, NY, is referred to as the “Carousel Capital of the World.”
- Saving and restoring old carousels died a quick death when original carousels’ hollow-bodied wooden animals became valued as sculptures. From the 1970s through the early 1990s, selling carousels piecemeal brought more money than restoring them.
- On antique carousels, poles don’t go through the saddle, but rather in front of the saddle.
- Antique carousel animals have very smooth finishes.
- Real antique carousel horses were not made of solid wood.