By 1812Blockhouse
With the recent shuttering of the last manufacturer in America’s carousel capital, is there a future for what has been a mainstay of entertainment for generations?
That’s the question being asked in some circles, including in this piece on NorthJersey.com this past Friday.
Entitled, “Will the once-thriving wooden carousel business make a comeback?,” author Jim Beckerman looked at several carousels, all of which came from Mansfield. The last surviving company, Carousel Works, closed earlier this year after a January bankruptcy filing (our story is here).
Beckerman mentions Carousels and Carvings, a carousel rehabber in Marion.
Wikipedia states that carousels are descendants of jousting traditions in medieval Europe, and the skill of spearing of small rings while mounted on horseback.
One of the oldest working examples in America is the Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, built in 1876 and designated a National Historic Landmark. A short video featuring the ride is below
