Columbia Carousel

Columbia Carousel. . , Columbia is the world's grandest carousel. Standing as high as a ten-story building, every inch of this monumental carousel honors American craftsmanship. None so large or so elegant has ever been built., On Columbia's two turntables, 106 historic horses, animals and chariots turn round and round. Each of these figures was borrowed from museums, private collections and antique carousels, then duplicated for Columbia Rare Dentzel horses, their saddles covered with carved flowers, are on the first level; colorful C. W. Parker horses, their manes billowed and bodies jewel-encrusted, prance above. The Silver Anniversary Horse, on the lower turntable, is one of the world's rarest figures. The original horse stands on display at the Circus Hall of Fame in Sarasota, Florida. The Columbia's elegant facade was modeled by Henry Greutert and Chris Mueller, well-known California sculptors, who embellished the Columbia with their love of the fading art of architectural sculpture. The sixteen original oil paintings on the cresting of the carousel were done by George Gibson, one of America's foremost artists., The inspiration and beauty of the Columbia reflect the artistry of hundreds of workers who dedicated themselves to this splendid carousel. It was conceived and designed by Randall Duell and Associates as the first major new carousel in the world since the late 1920's, when the art of carousel design was nearly--but fortunately not quite--lost., To Mr. Duell and his fellow artisans, our enduring gratitude.