We spent the day at Hershey Park thanks to some free tickets given to us by a friend (thank you Carol!). My favorite ride is the carousel: a magical mix of stunning artistry, childhood wonder and that cool feeling you get being near something that still functions as beautifully as it did nearly 100 years ago. They don't make 'em like they used to is a line that certainly applies to the carousel. It's one of those rides that seems like it should just be for children but everyone from 1 to 100 gleefully chooses and mounts their colorful steed. The one at Hershey was made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in the early 1900's and has called this park it's home since 1944. What more can I say, it is the most romantic ride there is!
Click HERE to learn the history of the carousel.
12 comments:
How wonderful! I love carousels...but I think I remember hearing awhile back that several of them were being dismantled at "outdated" :( I think they have a rich history---your pictures are just lovely, especially the ones depicting movement.
I love old carosels, they are so beautiful, the artistry that went into them in the day! Need I say more.
We have an old antique carosel in Portland, Or, the Jantzen Beach carosel, I remember riding it as a kid and my children have ridden it. I believe it was built for one of the worlds fairs, but I would have to do research to tell you which one. I do know it is a beautiful carosel, a lot like the one you posted.
I LOVE carousel horses...a true art form. I remember studying them as a kid. The older the merry-go-round, the better. I love the first horse with the flowers blowing in the breeze...
Beautiful pictures...
be well...
those are gorgeous pictures :D I love the look of old carousels, the work that went into them is amazing
Beautiful carousel pictures, Jennifer! I have never seen a carousel like the one up posted, in person, only in pictures. I too love the beautiful horses and the amazing workmanship that went into them. They are stunning; so sad the a lot of them have vanished.
Thanks for taking me on a ride with you. :-)
Jane
Don't despair all! There are still carousel art carvers around! I used to paint them for a living down in California - one place was in fact called Art Carvers. I don't know if they are still around. They were mostly custom orders for people who wanted full size ones in their house complete with the brass pole. I don't know how the first ones were painted, but the ones that I did were basecoated first, then airbrushed for all the muscle definition, and finally hand painted with various designs. A fun job! So nice to know that people still love these old tyme horses.
Wow, what a cool job, painting carousel horses!
If you want to see if there is a carousel made by the same company that made the one at Hershey, click on my link for the Phila. Toboggan Co. - there is a list of where they are.
What a magnificent steed for Zoe to choose to ride! Love it!! -kat
I love the old carousels! This one is especially beautiful. Thanks for sharing these pictures! :)
Wow, I want to ride. I love carousels. Your photos are wonderful.
Kat
So glad I am not the only one who loves these - just rode one with lots of family members during the summer - so fun! We enjoyed the whole ride so much that the person operating the carousel offered to take our picture =) fun!
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