| The Carousels of PTC #1-93R |
| Written by Administrator | |
| Thursday, 27 January 2011 | |
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By Richard A. Gardner and Barbara Williams (Editor's Note: The following is an abbreviated version of the list of the carousels of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, PTC, #1-93. The first carousels, PTC #1 - PTC #4 are printed here with the complete descriptions and histories as available and as they appeared in the June 201 CN&T. The remainder of the carousels have been abbreviated and are only listed here by number, date, fate and/or current location. The full list, including the complete descriptions of the provenance and other known facts about the carousels appears in the printed version of the CN&T June 2010 issue along with historic and current photographs or nearly every machine. Subsequent issues of The CN&T include various comments, corrections and clarifications gleaned from information that surfaced as a result of the publication of this list. For the complete list and subsequent additions and clarifications, back issues of The CN&T are available for order. Also, the complete list of PTC carousels, updated, with all dates, descriptions, provenance, photographs and additional historic information is available in the two volumes of books by the co-author of this article; Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousels, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 by Richard Gardner. For Richard's PTC books, contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) PTC #1 1904 (-1961) Fire 3-row. Menagerie. This, and the first several carousels made by PTC soon after the company was founded in 1904 by Henry B. Auchy and Chester E. Albright, used inventory purchased from the E. Joy Morris Company. PTC #1 first operated at Piney Beach in Hampton, VA. It later moved to Pine Island, Manchester, NH, where it was destroyed by fire on September 31, 1961. In 1913, PTC #1’s owner, Louis Berni, paid PTC $1,443.88 for conversion to jumpers. Two small horses were replaced with horses from either #13 or #21. PTC also shipped its first roller coaster to Piney Beach in 1904. PTC shipped at least the first ten of its roller coasters and carousels to the same parks. PTC #2 1904 (-?) Unknown 3-row. Menagerie. First operated at Vinewood Park, Topeka KS. Frederick Fried shows a photograph of this early PTC carousel in Topeka on page 92 of his book A Pictorial History of the Carousel. Fate unknown. PTC #3 1904 (-?) Unknown 3-row. Menagerie. First operated in Columbus, OH. The first likely location was the Zoological Park in Columbus, where a PTC roller coaster (RC #3, the Forest Toboggan) operated. The roller coaster was later moved to Olentangy Park, Columbus, OH. The carousel also may have been moved to Olentangy Park. The park already had a carousel, the 1914 “Grand Carousel”, manufactured by William E. Mangels, with carvings by Marcus C. Illions and Sons; the carousel that now pleases riders at the Columbus Zoo. The park was known to have had two carousels at one time. Olentangy Park closed in 1938. Fate unknown. PTC #4 1904 (-1989) Auction 3-row. Menagerie. First operated at Athletic Park, New Orleans, LA, then to Manhattan Beach, Denver, CO, then Bergen Beach, Canarsie Shore, NY. Sold at auction by Guernsey Auctions in January 1989. The auction information refers to an E. Joy Morris carousel that was at Skylon Towers, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. There are differing opinions as to whether this was PTC #4, or not. The Morris carousel at Skylon Tower is said to have been installed at Erie Beach Amusement Park, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, from 1904 until 1929. Richard Lohr purchased it from the Glen Park Amusement Concession, Williamsville, NY, when that company ceased operations. (Glen Park was the home of the “Glen Park Casino and Amusement Park,” part of which was destroyed by a fire in 1968.) Lohr leased the carousel to the Skylon Tower about four years after he purchased it. Skylon Tower began operations in the late 1960s. There were 34 horses, a lion, a tiger, and two chariots on the carousel. The conflicting facts regarding this carousel suggest that more research is necessary to determine if the E. Joy Morris carousel sold at the Guernsey auction is the same one referred to by Jacques and Fried. (The remainder of the list is abbreviated to carousel number, date built, fate and/or current location. For the complete list see the June 2010 Issue of The CN&T or contact Richard Gardner to order his Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousels, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Richard can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) PTC #5 1904 (-?) Dispersed PTC #6 1905 (-Present) Operating Kit Carson Carousel & Museum, Burlington, CO. Info: www.kitcarsoncountycarousel.com. PTC #7 1905 (-1923) Fire PTC #8 1905 (-1913?) Fire PTC #9 1905 (-1980/Present) Dispersed/Mechanism 3-row. Menagerie. #74R, #86R - Re-manufactured in 1926, 1929. The Carousel at Pottstown, Pottstown, PA. Info: www.carouselatpottstown.org. PTC #10 1906 (-1950s) Fire PTC #11 1906 (-1970s-’80s) Dispersed #68R - Re-manufactured in 1923. PTC #12 1906 (-1984) Dispersed PTC #13 1906 (-1973) Dispersed PTC #14 1906 (-1988) Dispersed PTC #15 1907-’08 (-Present) Operational/Storage PTC #16 1907 (-1975) Dispersed PTC #17 1908 (-Present) Operating Riverview Carousel, Six Flags Over Georgia, Austell, GA. For info: www.sixflags.com/overGeorgia. PTC #18 1909 (-Present) Operating The Carousel Center Mall, Syracuse, NY. For info: www.carouselcenter.com. PTC #19 1910-’11 (-Present) Operational/Storage PTC #20 1911-’12 (-1912) Fire PTC #21 1912 (-Present) Operating Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, CA. For info: www.sixflags.com/magicMountain. PTC #22 1912 (-?) Fire PTC #23 1912 (-1942?) Dispersed PTC #24 1912 (-1930s?) Unknown PTC #25 1912 (-1945) Auction PTC #26 1913 (-1970?) Fire/Auction PTC #27 1913 (-?) Auction?/Fire? PTC #28 1913 (-Present) Operational/Storage PTC #29 1914 (-1954?) PTC #30 1913 (-Present) Operating Luna Park, Melbourne, Australia. PTC #31 1914-’15 (-1990/Present) Operating Seabreeze Carousel, Rochester, NY. (#31 Mechanism only) PTC #32 1914 (-?) Unknown PTC #33 1914 (-Present) Operating Cafesjian’s Carousel, Como Park, St. Paul, MN. For info: www.ourfaircarousel.org. PTC #34 1915 (-1986) Auction PTC #36 1915 (-1994) Fire PTC #37 1915-’16 (-?) Unknown PTC #38 1915-’16/1934 (-1983) Fire PTC #39 1916 (-1990/Present) Operating Lake Winnepesaukah, Rossville, GA. For info: www.lakewinnie.com. PTC #40 1915-’16 (-?) Unknown PTC #41 1917 (-1978/’83) Dispersed PTC #42 1917 (-?) Fire PTC #43 1917 (-Present) Operating Western Washington Fair, Puyallup, WA. For info: www.thefair.com. PTC #44 1917 (-Present) Operating Kings Dominion Park, Doswell, VA. For info: www.kingsdominion.com. PTC #45 1918 (-Present) Operating Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA. For info: www.zoo.org. PTC #46 1918 (-Present) Operating Cinderella’s Golden Carousel, Disney World, Orlando, FL. For info: www.disneyworld.disney.go.com. PTC #47 1919 (-Present) Operating Hersheypark, Hershey, PA. For info: www.hersheypark.com. PTC #48 1919 (-1958) Fire 3-row. First operated at Ocean View, VA. Destroyed by fire in 1958 according to PTC archive notes. PTC #49 1919 (-1990/Present) Mechanism Louisville Zoo, KY. Original mechanism only. PTC #50 1920 (-Present) Operating Carousel Park, Hampton, VA. For info: www.vasc.org/visitvasc/carousel.html. PTC #51 1920-’28 (-Present) Operating Elitch Gardens, Denver, CO. For info: www.elitchgardens.com. PTC #52 1920 (-1965) Fire PTC #53 1920 (-Present) Operational/Storage PTC #54 1920-’21 (-Present) Operating Battleship Cove, Fall River, MA. PTC #55R (#14) 1920 (-1988) Dispersed (See Listing for PTC #14) PTC #56 1921 (-1939) Fire PTC #57R 1921 (-1927) Fire PTC #58R 1921 (-?) Unknown PTC #59 1922 (-1986/Present) Mechanism Peddlers Village, Lahaska, PA. PTC #60 1922 (-1927) Fire PTC #61 1922 (-Present) Display/Operational Jane’s Carousel, Brooklyn, NY. For info: www.janescarousel.com. PTC #62 1922 (-Present) Operating Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA. For info: www.santamonicapier.org. PTC #63 1922 (-1977) Fire PTC #64R 1923 (-?) Unknown PTC #65 1923 (-1930) Fire PTC #66 1923-’24 (-1944) Fire PTC #67 1923 (-Present) Operating Carowinds, Charlotte, NC. For info: www.carowinds.com. PTC #68R 1923 (-1978) Dispersed (See listing for PTC #11) PTC #69 1924 (-1958) Fire PTC #70 1924 (-1980) Auction PTC #71 1925-’27 (-1980/’88) Auction/Fire PTC #72 1925 (-Present) Storage/Operational PTC #73R 1925/’29 (-1945) Dispersed PTC #74R 1925-’26 (-Present) Mechanism (See listing for PTC #9) PTC #75 1925-’26 (-Present) Operating Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, Ocean City, NJ. For info: www.gillians.com. PTC #76 1926 (-Present) Operating Valleyfair Carousel, Shakopee, MN. For info: www.valleyfair.com. PTC #77R 1926-’27 (-Present) Private 1898 Dentzel/Muller Menagerie. PTC #78R 1926 (-Present) Operating (See listing for PTC #18). PTC #79 1926 (-Present) Operating Kings Island, OH. For info: www.visitkingsisland.com. PTC #80 1927-’28 (-Present) Operating Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, Heritage State Park, Holyoke, MA. For info: www.holyokemerrygoround.org. PTC #81R 1928 (-1986) Auction PTC #82R 1927 (-?) Unknown PTC #83 1930 (-Present) Operating Idlewild Park, Ligonier, PA. For info: www.idlewild.com. PTC #84 1928 (‘34) (-Present) Operating Canada’s Wonderland, Ontario, Canada. For info: www.canadaswonderland.com. PTC #85 1928 (-Present) Operating Paragon Carousel, Nantasket Beach, Hull, MA. For info: www.paragoncarousel.com. PTC #86R 1929 (-Present) Mechanism (See listing for #9) PTC #87 1930-’32 (-1984/Present) Mechanism Figures to Auction in 1984. For info: www.family-kingdom.com. PTC #88RA 1930 (-?) Unknown PTC #88RB 1934 (-1944) Fire PTC #89R 1934-’35 (-?) Unknown 3-row. Dentzel. PTC #90R 1934 (-?) Unknown 3-row. 36 Animals. Spillman portable. PTC #91R 1940 (-?) Unknown 2-row. Original manufacturer unknown. PTC #92R 1940 (-?) Unknown 3-row. Portable Allan Herschell. PTC #93R 1941 (-Present) Operating Soupy Island Carousel, Sanitarium Playground, Thorofare, NJ. 4-row. 61 Horses; 16 standers, 45 jumpers. 1900 Heyn carousel. | |