Marina in San Diego in San Diego County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Charles I.D. Looff

Seaport Village Carousel

Photographed by Craig Baker, July 10, 2025

1. Charles I.D. Looff Marker

Inscription.

Charles I.D. Looff. Seaport Village Carousel. , Looff came to America in 1870 at the age of 18. After settling in Brooklyn, N.Y., and being trained previously as a woodcarver in Schlesmig Holstein (then a Danish Province). His first five years in America were spent as a furniture maker by day and a carousel carver by night. Being one of the earliest of American carousel carvers and creating his first three carousels himself, he greatly influenced the styles of the other carousel companies. As an example his very first carousel was placed in Coney Island in 1876 and carried menagerie (other than horses) on board. Additionally, his early animals were the first to incorporate glass and composition ornamentation and the use of the "Bird" Saddle-back Design., Like a true artist Looff was never satisfied to use set patterns for any length of time with only a variance of side ornamentation. His carvings were always changing with the times and his animals always fall into three distinct categories. His earliest animals (1876-1888) were sweet and gentle. His middle phase of carving (1889-1900) created some of the most elegant and well-carved animals in existence today. Horse heads were finely chiseled. Manes were intricately carved, and full figures and faces were created behind the cantle of the saddle as ornamentation. The Looff company changed its pattern of carving during its final phase of carving (1901-1918). Only then did the animals become flamboyant and highly stylized, depicting the categorization now placed upon Looff's carvings a "Coney Island" style. , , History of this Looff Carousel , 1895 · Fairpark, Texas · Original placement. , 1950's · Santa Monica, Ca. · Pacific Ocean Park. , 1970's · Spanaway, Wash. · Operating through the 70's. , 1979 · Portland, Ore. · Purchased at auction by Perrons in Sept. Moved to Oregon. , 1982 · Portland, Ore. · City Downtown dedication. , 1987 · National Registration of Historic Places. , 1988 · Portland, Ore. · Moved to Carousel Courtyard. , 1991 · Complete restoration for '92 International Fair. , 1992 · AmeraFlora · The only featured ride offering over 1,000,000 rides. , 1997 · Burbank, Ca. · Media City Center. , 2004 · San Diego, Ca. · Seaport Village.

Looff came to America in 1870 at the age of 18. After settling in Brooklyn, N.Y., and being trained previously as a woodcarver in Schlesmig Holstein (then a Danish Province). His first five years in America were spent as a furniture maker by day and a carousel carver by night. Being one of the earliest of American carousel carvers and creating his first three carousels himself, he greatly influenced the styles of the other carousel companies. As an example his very first carousel was placed in Coney Island in 1876 and carried menagerie (other than horses) on board. Additionally, his early animals were the first to incorporate glass and composition ornamentation and the use of the "Bird" Saddle-back Design.

Like a true artist Looff was never satisfied to use set patterns for any length of time with only a variance of side ornamentation. His carvings were always changing with the times and his animals always fall into three distinct categories. His earliest animals (1876-1888) were sweet and gentle. His middle phase of carving (1889-1900) created some of the most elegant and well-carved animals in existence today. Horse heads were finely chiseled. Manes were intricately carved, and full figures and faces were created behind the cantle of the saddle as ornamentation. The Looff company changed its pattern of carving during

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its final phase of carving (1901-1918). Only then did the animals become flamboyant and highly stylized, depicting the categorization now placed upon Looff's carvings a "Coney Island" style.

History of this Looff Carousel
1895 · Fairpark, Texas · Original placement.
1950's · Santa Monica, Ca. · Pacific Ocean Park.
1970's · Spanaway, Wash. · Operating through the 70's.
1979 · Portland, Ore. · Purchased at auction by Perrons in Sept. Moved to Oregon.
1982 · Portland, Ore. · City Downtown dedication.
1987 · National Registration of Historic Places.
1988 · Portland, Ore. · Moved to Carousel Courtyard.
1991 · Complete restoration for '92 International Fair.
1992 · AmeraFlora · The only featured ride offering over 1,000,000 rides.
1997 · Burbank, Ca. · Media City Center.
2004 · San Diego, Ca. · Seaport Village.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.

Location. 32° 42.567′ N, 117° 10.28′ W. Marker is in San Diego, California, in San Diego County. It is in Marina. It can be reached from Pacific Highway 0.1 miles south of

History of this Looff Carousel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, March 20, 2026

2. History of this Looff Carousel

Harbor Drive, on the right when traveling south. Located at the Seaport Village Carousel. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 857 W Harbor Dr, San Diego CA 92101, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s Peninsular Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: La Punta de los Muertos (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); San Diego Barracks (approx. 0.2 miles away); Tuna Fleet Service, World War II (1941-1945) (approx. ¼ mile away); USS San Diego Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Clifton A.F. Sprague, Vice Admiral, USN (approx. ¼ mile away); United States Aircraft Carrier Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Embracing Peace (approx. 0.3 miles away); A National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Diego.

Regarding Charles I.D. Looff. Historic Carousels, Inc., has been operating the 1895 Fair Park Looff Carousel at San Diego’s Seaport Village since 2004, where it replaced the retired the Flying Duchess Looff Carousel.
Built in 1895 in Brooklyn, NY, by Charles I.D. Looff, it had its debut in 1904 at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. In the 1950’s, it moved to Pacific Ocean Park in Santa Monica, California, where it operated for about 20 years before moving to Spanaway, Washington. In September 1979, the Fair Park Looff was purchased by the Perron family and relocated to Portland,

Carousel and Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, March 20, 2026

3. Carousel and Markers

Oregon. It was part of the Portland City Dedication in 1982, and it was registered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. In 1991, Historic Carousels, Inc., did a complete restoration of the Fair Park Looff for the 1992 AmeriFlora international horticultural exhibition held in Columbus, Ohio. The Looff then made its way to Burbank, CA in 1997, and made its final move in 2004 to San Diego, California, where it has resided in Seaport Village until today.
-from Historic Carousels, Inc.

The Charles Looff 20-Sweep Menagerie Carousel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 but was removed in 1998 following its relocation to California. It has not been reinstated on the Register.

Also see . . . Seaport Village Carousel. (Submitted on October 20, 2019, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.)

Seaport Village Carousel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker

4. Seaport Village Carousel

Photographed by Craig Baker

5. Seaport Village Carousel

The carved animals at far right are camels.

Charles I.D. Looff Marker - Indoors image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, March 20, 2026

6. Charles I.D. Looff Marker - Indoors

History of this Looff Carousel - Indoors image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker

7. History of this Looff Carousel - Indoors

Charles I.D. Looff image. Click for full size.

8. Charles I.D. Looff

Credits. This page was last revised on March 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2019, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,000 times since then and 63 times this year. Last updated on July 9, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 13, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 5. submitted on October 20, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 6. submitted on July 13, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 7. submitted on October 20, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 8. submitted on October 20, 2019, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.