Carousel

Carousel. Roger Williams Park. , Carousels have contributed to the park's whimsy since 1897, when one was built across the street next to the Dalrymple Boathouse (the stairs are still there!). The Victorian carousel had a steel frame, corrugated iron roof, stained glass windows, and was 80-feet in diameter. It housed a rise with hand-carved wooden horses with tails and of real horse hair., In 1893, in the same building, the ride was replaced by Carousel #44 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, a ride that included four rows and a total of 66 hand-carved horses. Riders could also reach for a brass ring to win a free ride! In the 1970s, the ride was sold to an amusement park in Virginia and it's still believed to be in operation today., An Allan Herschell carousel with aluminum horses operated in the original building until 1990, when the current carousel was built here., Did you know? , The 1897 merry-go-round had a calliope, a musical instrument that sent steam through large whistles., [Captions:] , The carousel building was a hub of activity circa 1900. Pictured above, patrons enjoy the merry-go-round, canoe rides, and a leisurely walk., Pictured left, the 1897 Murphy Brothers carousel only had "standers." Carousels made in later years included "jumpers," horses that moved up and down., Information and photos courtesy of the RWP Museum of Natural History archives, the Providence Journal, and "The Jewel of Providence" by David Marshall.