Home  Carousel News & Trader August 2009 The History of Oklahoma's Carousels
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The History of Oklahoma's Carousels |
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 15 November 2009 |
By Barbara Williams
Special to The Carousel News & Trader
From 1998 to 2001, carousel enthusiast, Bob Varga, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, searched for material about his home state’s past and present carousels. Bob didn’t have a computer when working on this project, so it was labor intensive; chasing rumors, making phone calls, haunting libraries, driving to see the newly-found operating carousels so he could see for himself what they were like. Most of the historic carousels he found information about were not previously known to exist. Oklahoma does have a rich carousel history and thanks to Bob, we now know about it.
 Primitive, horse-powered, suspended swing-ride with buckboard seats in Ada, OK. Photo circa 1890. Photo credit: Dell Maxwell
In 1999, Bob wrote, “In 1985, Daily Oklahoman columnist, Bob Lee, wrote
about reflections about what he and his readers remember about
Oklahoma’s carousels. Since I was researching Oklahoma’s carousel
history, and had already found a surprising amount of information, I
wondered if he was still interested in the subject and wrote to him,
asking for his help in locating more information and photographs. He
was very interested and proceeded to run two columns in 1999, listing
me as the contact person. The first column came out the morning of
Memorial Day. I was on the phone most of the day and had fascinating
conversations with mostly older folks about the old days in many
aspects. I learned a great deal about carousels and places that people
remembered and I was even promised some photos. While some of the
recollections were vague, I have included them in the listing as I feel
they add to the over-all picture of just how many carousels Oklahoma
had.”
Bob passed away on March 7, 2009 at age 81. The carousel world has lost
a devoted friend. He was a faithful contributor to the National
Carousel Association’s archives and a strong supporter of the carousel
museums. He closely followed carousel restoration projects and Six
Flags’ (formerly Premier Parks) buy-up of parks, fearing for the future
of the carousels under their ownership.
Bob was born on February 16, 1928, in New York City. He was a World
War II veteran, having served in Japan in the Armed Forces Radio. He
was a university professor in the Speech & Drama Department at
Oklahoma City University. Among his professional accomplishments, he
authored and directed children’s plays. His many interests included
biplanes, carousels, steamboats, women’s softball, the theater and a
life-long love of teddy bears. He was predeceased by his wife, Jane.
He is survived by his sister, Irene; his children Janice, Terrie and
Chris, daughter-in-law, Tamara; grandchildren Sarah, John, Kristin,
Austin, Lauren and Jason.
Bob and I began our correspondence in 1997 when I was archivist for the
NCA. He had so many questions about various carousels, figuring I had
the answers in the files. Because of his inquiring mind, I learned a
lot! In our correspondence, we talked about our lives, our families,
the downsides of living where there are perils - his Oklahoma
tornadoes, my California earthquakes, and carousels, of course. Bob’s
2008 holiday greetings had wonderful news - he had email! We did start
emailing , exchanging pictures and I was looking forward to much more.
Bob’s family sent me his carousel collection. Through their
generosity, I am able to share Bob’s Oklahoma carousel research and
photos. In gratitude, thank you, Bob, for being such a wonderful
friend. To Bob’s family, thank you for giving me this opportunity.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: I have left the reference to the photos in the magazine
article in this story on the website, but there is no way to include
them all. To see all of these amazing historic photos, you can order this back issue of The Carousel News & Trader August 2009 by clicking here.)
Oklahoma’s Carousels:
Information compliled by Bob Varga
 Wedgewood’s PTC 59, seen here at auction in Florida in 1985. Credit: John Daniel
Ada
Primitive, horse-powered, suspended swing-ride with buckboard seats.
It was operated by John William Maxwell in the Choctaw and Chickasaw
Nations in Garvin County, the Indian Lands of Oklahoma Territory (now
the town of Center). This information was submitted by Dell Maxwell,
great-niece of John Maxwell. (Photo on page 29).
Bartlesville, Johnstone Park Kiddie Playground
This is an all horse, circa 1930, three-row metal carousel with thirty
jumpers and two chariots. Johnstone is a small city-owned amusement
park with a total of sixteen kiddie rides. It is situated near the Tom
Mix Museum and Frank Lloyd Wright Price Tower. Johnstone Park opened
in 1947 with the carousel arriving a little later in 1951. The park is
open from May to September, with staffing by volunteers.
(Photo above left).
Carnegie
This recollection was in response to Bob Lee’s column in The Daily
Oklahoman: “There was a carousel, about twenty feet in diameter, in a
round building.”
Bob’s Varga’s Update: Carnegie did have a carousel, but the wood horses
were sold off in 2001. It was a fourteen-section, Allan Herschell
machine. The frame remained at the site as of July 2001. (No photo).
Cratervillle
There was a carousel in a Craterville amusement park. In the 1950’s,
when the original town site was designated as a wildlife refuge, the
amusement park closed permanently, and the town itself was relocated.
At the new Craterville, Lake Lawtonka was created and that town site is
now under water.
In a reader’s response to Bob Lee’s column in which Craterville’s
carousel was described as “small”, the reader said, “I can guarantee
that if you were three-and-a-half feet tall, six-years-old, and had
never seen one before; the carousel at Craterville was definitely not
small!” (Photo left).
Duncan
A carousel with twenty jumpers is operated at Duncan on Fair days and special occasions by the Kiwanis at their kiddie park.
A fond reflection by local, Patricia Brandon: “Summer evenings, the
park is filled with children, parents, grandparents,
great-grandparents, etc. The little ones have their favorite horse on
the carousel and tears flow when the horse is taken. But, there’s
always next time.”
Bob Varga thought the carousel animals looked like
fiberglass, 1950’s vintage, and that the chariots were crude, not like originals.
Recent attemps to confirm the present-day status of the Duncan carousel were unsuccessful. (No photo)
Elk City, Ackley Park
On May 26, 2001, Elk City unveiled its brand new Centennial Carousel.
It is a three-row, thirty-six horse machine. It has six hundred
lights, a forty-five foot hardwood platform and features all wooden
trim. The carousel was custom-built by Dan Horenberger of Brass Ring
Entertainment in Sun Valley, CA. It has wooden horses carved by Ed
Roth.
Enid, Meadowlake Park
This is a 1925 Allan Herschell, three-row, half and half, with twenty
seven jumpers and two chariots. Three of the jumpers are half-sized
horses. It had a band organ at it’s previous location, Hellum’s
Amusement Park, near Enid, where it was installed in 1928. The
carousel was given to city of Enid in 1965 and placed in Meadowlake
Park. The carousel is city-owned and is operated by Kiwanis Club,
which also owns Meadowlake’s Chance train ride. The Lions Club owns
the airplane and car rides. Meadowlake has an arboretum, picnic area
and the lake for which the park is named. The park is open from
Memorial Day to Labor Day. (Photo above left).
Eufaula
Bob Lee’s Daily Oklahoman column prompted this recollection: “A large
carousel was installed around 1920 and was sold in either 1979 or
1980. It was a big machine.” The carousel’s site is now a ballpark.
(No photo).
Fort Cobb
A small carousel is used at Fair time and sometimes for July 4th
celebrations. It may have come from Sulphur, OK. The Parker issue of
‘Carrousel Art’ magazine, features a wooden, armored Parker, described
as having come from a carousel in Fort Cobb.
Recent attemps to confirm the present-day status of the carousel were unsuccessful. (No photo)
Hinton
This is a two-row, metal Parker carousel with sixteen jumpers and two
chariots. It has updated fiber-glass trim with vintage, fluorescent
lighting. It is a portable machine with a trailer-mounted center
pole. It is used at the August County Fair, Rodeo Days and other
special occasions.
Hydro
Hydro has a wooden Allan Herschell carousel. It and other rides arrived
with a traveling carnival around forty years ago, only to become mired
in mud, a result of a local flood. Left by the carnival company, the
townspeople rescued the rides and installed them in a local park. (No
photo)
Medicine Park
What looks to be a Parker carousel was at Medicine Park in an outdoor
carnival setting. Medicine Park was a thriving, planned tourist resort,
established in 1908. The healing powers of Medicine Creek, tennis
courts, spas, swimming and fishing drew large crowds to the popular,
picturesque enclave. (Photo below)
(Bob’s original notes had listed “Lawton – No Information”. I looked
up the town of Lawton and saw that it was very close to the resort of
Medicine Park, so I thought it was worth looking into as a possible
location of a carousel. I already had a postcard of what looked like a
carousel building at Medicine Park, (AKA, Lawton, on the card). I got
in touch with Ed Stonerock, of Medicine Park, who generously inquired
around to see if anyone remembered a carousel. Among the old-timers,
nobody did. The traveling Parker seems to have been the only carousel
ever at Medicine Park.
– Barbara Williams). (Photo below right)
Mountain View
Once outfitted with wooden Parkers, Mountain View’s carousel now has
newer aluminum Parkers. It is a large carousel, with sixteen sections
and measuring forty-five feet in diameter. Some of the old wooden
Parkers are still around town, in possession of the locals. (No photo).
Oklahoma City, Belle Isle Park
Belle Isle Park’s Parker carousel was moved to Springlake Park in
1928. Amusements at Belle Isle included a small coaster, a dance
pavilion and rowboats. A second kiddie-sized carousel at Belle Isle
burned in the 1940’s. By 1948, all of the attractions were gone. In
1984, the Dentzel carousel from President’s Park, Carlsbad, New Mexico
was bought by developers of Belle Isle Shopping Mall. It was to be
installed at the site of the old Belle Isle Park power plant as the
centerpiece of the new endeavor. The oil bust of the 1980’s brought
the project to an immediate and permanent end. Ultimately, the
carousel’s animals were sold off. Still unaccounted for, the frame was
most likely left behind at Belle Isle and sold for scrap along with old
machinery and piping when the old power plant was cleared out in the
late 1980s. (Photo left)
Oklahoma City, Black Hawk Amusement Park
Originally, this was the Black Hawk Lodge and Restaurant, established
around 1933. By 1937, this enterprise had a swimming pool, antique
shop, miniature golf, rides and a carousel; make unknown. (No photo)
Oklahoma City, Delmar Garden
Delmar Garden opened in 1902 with an auditorium for vaudeville. Added
was a roller coaster, Ferris wheel, race track, dance hall, live
theater, swimming pool, beer garden, hotel, restaurant and a Kinedrome,
an early motion picture house. The carousel was located at the back
end of the promenade on the right. Delmar Garden was located in the
lowlands, which flooded, and was plagued by mosquitoes. As a result,
the park closed in 1910. The Oklahoma Historical Society Oral History
Department taped an interview with a Mrs. Annie Drummond, (born 1890),
who came to Oklahoma in 1898. One of her memories was of Delmar
Garden. She said she went there many times. She talked about baseball
games, picnics and the theater and the rides:
Annie: “Yes, there were rides.”
Interviewer: “Was there a carousel?”
Annie: “A carousel? Well..ah..I don’t recall.”
Interviewer: “What was your favorite ride at Delmar?”
Annie: “Why the Merry-Go-Round, of course!”
(Photo above)
Oklahoma City, Fairgrounds
Appearing in The Daily Oklahoman, Sept 30, 1910, was a description of
the attractions in the forthcoming fair, “The big ‘Chanticleer’
Steeplechase is the first one to be used in this country and attracts
both old and young. This machine was made in England and most of it is
hand carved. It was imported at a cost of $30,000 and has long since
paid for itself.” This ride came with the Patterson Shows which
provided most of the midway attractions.
The fair also had as a permanent attraction, a 1909 Looff carousel in a
Looff-built building. In 1954, the Looff was acquired by Carl Sedlmayr,
owner of Royal American Shows, the world’s largest railroad carnival.
This coincided with the closure of the fair at its original site,
demolition of the Looff-built carousel building, and relocation that
year to the fair’s new site. At the new fairgrounds, Royal American
Shows brought in one of their two PTC carousels. It is not known if
the Looff operated at the new fair site. Sedlmayr gave the Looff
carousel to the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida, in 1965, with the
intention of having it operate there as a money maker for the museum.
It was ultimately dispersed, with most of the animals selling at
auction in 1986.
(Photos above and below)
Oklahoma City, Frontier City
Frontier City had a 1959 metal Chance carousel that was destroyed in
the devastating 1998 tornadoes. Upon initial inspection, it appeared
that damage to the carousel was limited to the upper rim, but further
scrutiny confirmed that all of the vertical parts had been harmed by
the twisting winds. This machine was returned to Chance for salvage.
It was replaced in 1998 with the Chance carousel commissioned by the
Smithsonian for it’s 150th birthday tribute, “America’s Smithsonian” -
the world’s largest, year-long traveling museum, of which the carousel
was an important, interactive attraction. For Frontier City, Chance
was commissioned to make an “Oklahoma Horse” for the carousel,
decorated with American Indian motifs and the Oklahoma state flag.
Frontier City opened in 1959 and is still in operation.
(Photo above)
Oklahoma City, Springlake Park
Springlake Park opened in 1926, adding rides from defunct Belle Isle
Park. The park was purposely located near the zoo so the trolley line
could bring patrons to both sites. Springlake had a Parker carousel,
Big and Little Dipper Philadelphia Toboggan Company coasters, a
ballroom and a train. The park had two major fires, one in 1946 and
another in 1981, but the carousel was spared both times. Springlake
finally closed due to racial unrest in the park and it was leveled in
1983. The Parker carousel was sold in 1982, and no longer exists. The
Big Dipper was reduced to lumber, the train went to Lima, Peru. The
site is now occupied by a technical school with a Springlake carousel
horse and coaster car displayed on the campus.
(Photo below left)
Oklahoma City, Wedgewood Park
Wedgewood Park opened in 1958. Maurice Woods, the park owner-operator,
bought PTC 59 in 1961 at auction from Lincoln Park, Worcester, Mass for
$7,900. Woods had the carousel shipped to Oklahoma by a furniture
mover. Over the winter, two hundred and fifty gallons of stripper were
used to remove the many layers of paint. Woods’ mother, Esther,
repainted the forty eight horses and chariots in her living room.
Wedgewood was adjacent to housing and the noise from the amusement
park, in particular the coaster and the carousel, became an issue.
Controversy also arose when integration of the Olympic-sized swimming
pool was mandated, but not implemented, resulting in the closure of
Wedgewood in 1969. The carousel went to Petticoat Junction, Panama
City, Florida., where it was sold at auction in 1985. Wedgewood Park is
now the site of the Wedgewood Village Apartments. (Photo above)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma city Zoological park
Originally named the Lincoln Zoo, it had a metal Herschell carousel,
that operated through 1967. There was a train ride, steamboat and the
Skyride that came from Springlake Park. The last surviving original
ride, the Skyride, was demolished in 1998. The new Carousel Works
Endangered Species carousel was installed in 1999.
(Photo above)
Sand Springs
Sand Springs opened in 1911. It was a boating and picnicking resort,
developed around a large orphanage for the people involved with the
facility. Rides were added, a means by which to attract a trolley line
to the park. The rides brought problems to the area, however, so Sand
Springs’ carousel, Philadelphia Toboggan Company #10, and all of the
other rides were sold to Crystal City Amusement Park in Tulsa in 1934.
(No photo)
Shawnee
This was a privately owned Herschell-Spillman carousel with forty small
horses. It was sold to a Cleveland, Ohio carnival company about twenty
years ago. (No photo)
Tulsa, Bell’s Amusement Park
Jack Johnson brought his 1917, four-row Parker carousel with him when
he moved from San Antonio, Texas to Tulsa in 1983 to manage Bell’s
Amusement Park (1951-2006). The carousel, bought by Johnson’s father
from a traveling carnival in 1940, had operated at Playland in San
Antonio until the park’s closure in 1980. The Parker and its band organ
were auctioned off in the late 1980’s. It was replaced with a 1954
metal, three-row, all jumper, thirty-six foot, Arrow machine with taped
music. (Photo left)
Tulsa, Crystal City Amusement Park
Crystal City Amusement Park, (1920’s - 1956), was built adjacent to and
intended as competition for nearby older Electric Park. It had a
spring-fed swimming pool and the rides from Sand Springs, including PTC
10. Crystal City prospered until the late 1940’s, when it began to
fade. Most of the rides were sold off in 1948 and moved to Lakeview
Park in Tulsa. The carousel burned at Crystal Lake in one of a series
of mysterious fires that occurred in the 1950’s, leaving the dance hall
and the swimming pool as the only remaining attractions. Crystal City
Amusement Park was replaced with the Crystal City Shopping Center. (No
photo)
Tulsa, Electric Park
Electric Park was built before neighboring Crystal City was
established. It had a dance hall, merry-go-round, rides, concessions,
swings, a fun house and a miniature train. A man-made lagoon and one
of the biggest swimming pools in the state were the park’s main
attractions. Crystal City overshadowed Electric park and it closed in
1928.
(No photo)
Tulsa, Lakeview Park
Crystal Lake’s rides were moved to Lakeview Park in 1948, minus the PTC carousel.
In a 1975 Amusement Business ad, an Illions carousel is for sale at Lakeview. (No photo, ad shown above)
Tulsa, Mohawk Park (Tulsa Zoo)
This ‘Merry Go Round Employee’ badge was found with a metal detector by
Wally Dick of Broken Arrow while he was treasure-hunting in and around
an old house in North Tulsa. It was near the site of Mohawk Park.
(Photo below)
Tulsa, Woodland Hills Mall
This was a twelve year old (as of 1999), two-row, sixteen-horse, metal
carousel made by the San Antonio Roller Company. It is no longer at
the mall. (No photo)
Vinita, Electric Park
All that remains of Electric park is the reflecting pool which is now used for watering pastured livestock.
(No photo)
Vinita , I.T. (Indian Territory)
In 1894, the Unassigned Lands of Oklahoma were purchased from the
Cherokee. A celebration marked the occasion that included fifty
lemonade and ice cream stands, thirty lunch counters, eight photo
galleries, two shooting galleries, five merry-go-rounds, five dance
floors and two gambling wheels, along with exhibits and shows.
Tent shows, fairs, rodeos, the Ringling Brothers Circus and the Walter
Main Shows came to Vinita in the early 1900’s. (Photo above)
The photo of Aunt Ola Belle on the carousel horse in a studio setting
was taken somewhere in Vinita. Electric Park is a possibility as is
the 1894 celebration or the traveling shows that came to town. (Photo
right)
Special thanks to the many
contributors to this article. First and foremost to the Bob Varga
Family; also to Amusement Park Journal; Black History in Oklahoma;
Carrousel Art: Looff Family Album; Daralene Carson; Maggie & Lisa
Childs; Fred Dahlinger; Jean & Wally Dick; Don Gardner; Dee Gower;
Bob Guenthner; Herschell Carrousel Museum; Anne Hinds; Dan Horenberger;
Indian Journal; John Keenen; Bob Lee, The Daily Oklahoman; Metro Tech
School; Route 66: The Empire of Amusement; Ed Stonerock; Dell Maxwell;
Oklahoma City Library; Oklahoma Historical Society; Oklahoma Magazine;
Oklahoma Today; Sanborn Map Company; Smithsonian Magazine; The
Chronicles of Oklahoma; The Merry-Go-Roundup; The Daily Oklahoman; The
Sunday Oklahoman; Vinita I.T., 1821-1907; Pendelton Woods (OG&E,
ret.); Price Woodridge, Oklahoma Educational Television Authority.
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