This summer, children of all ages can delight in riding two of New York’s historic carousels! Both the rides at Forest Park and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park are slated to be reinstated by Memorial Day in all their original glory. The vintage amusement rides will likely be operated by New York Carousel Entertainment, and this will be the first time the historic Forest Park Carousel has been open to the public in almost four years.
Each of the wooden merry-go-rounds have been entertaining New Yorkers for years. The Flushing Meadows carousel was built for the 1964-65 World’s Fair and has been open consistently since. Carved by Marcus Charles Illions, it ran next to the Queens Zoo. The Forest Park model is even more historic, having been carved over 100 years ago by Daniel Carl Muller. Thanks to local enthusiasts, the aging carousels have been brought to the attention of the Parks Department, and restoration and preserving these ornate pieces of our city’s past has become a priority.
The preliminary steps for the restoration of the historic wooden carvings began last week with workers clearing and cleaning the sites surrounding each carousel. Skilled artisans will then be brought in to restore the colorful horses and animals to their original splendor.
The carousels are slated to re-open on Memorial Day weekend, continuing the tradition for generations to come.
Via NY Daily News
