Woodhaven in Queens in Queens County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Forest Park Carousel
1903 carousel built by master carver D.C. Mueller. Listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
Erected by Woodhaven Cultural & Historical Soc., Inc.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1903.
Location. 40° 41.99′ N, 73° 51.404′ W. Marker is in Queens, New York, in Queens County. It is in Woodhaven. It is on Forest Park Drive west of Woodhaven Boulevard, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20 Forest Park Dr, Woodhaven NY 11421, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in New York City. It is also in the American Northeast and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in North America and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: PFC Laurence Strack Memorial Pond (within shouting distance of this marker);
this page online
Also see . . . National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.
This form was prepared by Kathleen LaFrank, Program Analyst with the New York State Historic Preservation Office in January 2004. A statement of historical significance is on page 7:
The Forest Park Carousel is significant as a representative example of an early twentieth century carousel and a rare surviving example of the work of Daniel C. Muller, a master craftsman who is one of the most highly regarded carvers of carousel animals. Muller was a German immigrant who studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He and his brother Alfred served(Submitted on March 8, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)as interns at the Dentzel Carousel Company in Philadelphia before establishing their own company in 1903. The Muller company proved to be short-lived, turning out fewer than two dozen carousels. Although examples of Mullers horses survive on carousels by other companies, the Forest Park Carousel is the more intact of only two known carousels produced by the Muller company to survive. Mullers carousel figures exemplify the Philadelphia style of carving. Developed by Gustav Dentzel, the Philadelphia style is characterized by realistic animals, relatively large in scale, which present an image of gracefulness and strength. Horses were often depicted with military trappings. Muller, a classically trained sculptor, brought a fine arts sensibility to the production of carousel figures. His horses stand out for their beauty, accuracy, and expressiveness. In particular, the taut muscles in the legs, tucked heads, and tousled, wind-blown manes convey the naturalistic image of animals in motion. The expressiveness of the eyes adds an emotional component to the sculpture, and the accuracy ofthe military trappings enhances the life-like quality.His compositions were especially intricate, featuring canteens, bugles, bedrolls, flowers, ribbons and bells, and horses were often adorned with small representative figures, including dogs, monkeys, cherubs, etc. The Forest Park Carousel was constructed in 1903 for a Massachusetts park but was moved to Queens in 1972 to replace a Dentzel carousel that had burned. The Muller carousel sits on the same site as its predecessor and thus retains a setting appropriate to its type. Although some ofthe decorative elements of the carousel have been altered, the structure is intact and all the original horses survive. Mullers horses are generally rare and much prized by collectors, so the survival of a complete Muller machine presents an extremely unusual opportunity to appreciate the full range of the carvers talents.Photographed by Jim.henderson (CC0) [courtesy of Wikimedia Commons], July 12, 20123. Looking west at carousel on a sunny midday.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 8, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 8, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on March 8, 2026.
