National Carousel (Merry-Go-Round) Day July 25th. One of the hundreds of little known American holidays is National Merry-Go-Round Day due to be celebrated on July 25th each year.

The holiday was created to honor the 1871 carousel patented by William Schneider of Davenport, Iowa who is considered the official inventor of the modern carousel according to the U.S. patent office.

Where once, a few years ago, the U. S. Post Office and the Smithsonian Institute helped support a National Year of the Carousel, National Merry-Go-Round Day seems to get little fanfare lately.

Of the hundreds (if not into the thousands) of beautiful wooden carousels carved in the late 1800s and early 1900s, there are maybe 200 or so of these original American treasures in operation today.

These antique PTCs, Dentzels, Looffs, Herschells, Illions, Parkers and others deserve more public praise and attention. It's a great time to get out and ride and support your local carousel even if it is not a turn-of-the-century antique.