The Hampton Carousel

The Hampton Carousel, one of the few working merry-go-rounds in the nation, is considered a fine example of early twentieth-century American Folk Art. Thanks to the foresight of city leaders and contributors who "corralled" and restored it, the carousel is one of a handful that has remained in the city for which it were built., This alluring machine was built at the end of the Golden Age of Carousels in America, during which skilled craftsmen hand-carved realistic and sometimes highly imaginative animals and decorative pieces. It was built by the Philadelphia Tobaggan Company in 1921 for the Buckroe Beach Amusement Park, where it was a beloved feature attraction for more than sixty years. The company employed German, Italian, and Russian immigrant artisans to carve, paint, and in some cases gild the horses from fine-grained hardwoods. They also created oil paintings and beveled mirrors which further decorated each carousel., Although the artists were not permitted to sign their work, Frank Coretta, an Italian immigrant, is believed to have carved these horses. The forty-eight intricately decorated animals, 32 of them “jumpers,” moving up and down, were individually painted and sculpted, each with a different facial expression, arch of the head, and angle of the legs. Daniel Muller, who specialized in stately chariots, with patriotic themes, created these two called “Liberty” and “Eagle.” The horses circle a 66-key 1914 Bruder band organ and mechanical drum, and it’s music Rolls are originals., Generations of Hamptonians and visitors enjoyed the carousel in Buckroe. When the amusement park closed in 1285, the machine was dismantled and placed in storage. A group called Friends of the Carousel collected generous contributions, and in 1988, it was packed into tractor trailer trucks and shipped to R and F Design in Bristol, Conn., where it was restored. The city staged a send-off that included hay for the horses., Returned in 1991 and added to the National Register of Historic Places the next year, the Hampton Carousel has become a focal point of the city’s downtown waterfront., (caption) , The 1920-vintage carousel was a special attraction at Buckroe Beach Amusement Park, shown here in 1931. Courtesy of the Hampton Hisgtory Museum, Cheyne Collection