Virginia

Virginia is home to six active classic carousels. We have only visited the carousels in Hampton and Charlottesville.

Charlottesville

Virginia Discovery Museum

The carousel at the Virginia Discovery Museum is one of the last kiddie carousels. It is located on the pedestrian mall outside the museum. It was constructed by William Mangels, an inventor and manufacturer of amusements including carousels, in 1910 and consists of 7 aluminum kiddie horses which were cast from horses carved by Marcus Illions. The standers are Marx horses, and the jumpers are Mangels horses. The carousel is fully portable and is powered by hand. Just grab the rail or post and give it a spin. Little is known about the carousel’s 110-year journey, but it was acquired by Fred W. Scott Jr. of North Garden, Virginia in 2000. Mr. Scott generously donated the carousel to the museum. As can be seen from the photographs below, the horses are due for painting. Another carousel like this one is nearing ready for display at the New England Carousel Museum in Bristol, Connecticut.

Hampton

Hampton Park

Hampton is home to a beautifully restored and maintained 1920 Philadelphia Toboggan Company (#50) carousel. The carousel has 32 jumpers, 16 standers and two chariots. The band organ is a 1914 Wilhelm Bruder and Sohn Model 79. The carousel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The carousel was originally in Buckroe Beach Amusement Park until 1985 when it was placed in storage. It has been at Hampton Park since 1991.

Rides are $1.00.

Although the carousel was open, it was not operating the day we visited. We thank Verzet for her hospitality. She turned on the band organ and allowed us to mingle with the horses on the platform.

Buckroe Beach Amusement Park was built when the Ohio and Chesapeake trolley line extended to the vicinity in 1882. An electric trolley line was extended to the beach in 1897. A hotel and amusement park were quickly developed. Buckroe Beach was a “White only” beach, but soon, adjacent property, Bay Shore, was developed into a “Colored only” beach/amusement park by African American businessmen. Bay Shore Beach and Amusement Park became just as glorious as the all-White Buckroe Beach and Amusement Park. While we were visiting the carousel in Hampton we met an African American man who rode on the carousel as a child when it was located at Buckroe Beach. He told us that the two beaches/amusement parks were separated by a chain link fence that extended into the bay. Both Buckroe Beach and Bay Shore Beach areas were heavily damaged by a hurricane in 1933. The beaches and amusement parks were re-built, but Bay Shore struggled and never returned to its pre-1933 glory. The hurricane can be cited as the beginning of desegregation as African Americans began using Buckroe Beach. Whites routinely climbed over the fence to see their favorite recording artists at Bay Shore. The beaches were officially desegregated in 1964. Bay Shore Beach Amusement Park closed operation in the 1970s. Buckroe Amusement Park was closed and dismantled in 1985.

For information on operating times call 757-727-1610 or access their web site at www.visithampton.com/play/listing/hampton-carousel.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

http://carousels.org/USACensus/stdqueries/census-CLA.html

Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfBjOw6rj8o

One of the rounding board panels

Inside Panels

One of the inside panels

Keswick

Merrie Mill Farm

What may be the last horse-drawn, hand-cranked kiddie carousel in the United States resides at Merrie Mill Farm in Keswick, Virginia near Charlottesville. The vineyard, owned by Guy and Elizabeth Pelly, is a beautifully groomed and maintained farm with a beautifully designed tasting room.

The ca. 1912 to 1915 Children’s Delight wagon and carousel were manufactured in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. The wagon was manufactured by George Marx, and the carousel was manufactured by William Mangels. There are 10 stationary standing horses that are metal casts made from Marcus Illions’ carvings.

It is not known where the carousel resided between its manufacture and 1998 except it did reside at the American Work Horse Museum in Leesburg, Virginia for some time. The carousel was acquired by Bundoran Belgians Farm in North Garden, Virginia in 1998. In the early 1990s, some of the American Work Horse Museum collection was donated to Virginia Tech University, and in 1998, other parts of the collection were moved and opened at the Virginia Horse Museum in Lexington, Virginia. In early 2022, the carousel was acquired by Merrie Mill Farm.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

http://carousels.org/USACensus/stdqueries/census-CLA.html

Williamsburg

Busch Gardens

At Busch Gardens in Williamsburg there resides a beautiful 1919, 3-row, portable Allan Herschell carousel with 36 jumpers and two chariots. The carousel was part of a travelling carousel for many years which was based in Texas. After over 50 years in operation, the carousel was found abandoned in Dallas in 1973. The carousel was restored by Raymond Leroy “Roy” Herschell, great grandson of Allan Herschell, and other artisans. The carousel has been operating at Busch Gardens since 1973.

For information on operating times call (757) 229-4386 or access their web site at buschgardens.com. The park and carousel are open seasonally.

For further information:

The National Carousel Association

http://carousels.org/USACensus/stdqueries/census-CLA.html

Rounding Boards and Inside Panels