C. W. Parker Carousels
By Joyce Brite
[ I asked Joyce if she would write more about these carousels. She
[ sent the following synopsis of the two articles on C. W. Parker
[ carousels written by Matt Moline, and published in the Topeka
[ Capital-Journal on March 9, 1997. -- Robbie
"Galloping Down the Carousel Highway"
Artist Jerry Reinhardt of Stilwell, Kansas, dreams of a day when freeway I-70 might be designated as "Carousel Highway." He points out that nearly a dozen antique carousels have been restored in communities along I-70 between Denver and St. Louis, attracting thousands of visitors.
Reinhardt is a board member of the 1,300-member National Carousel Association. He "envisions publishing a brochure for travelers that would describe the merry-go-round attractions available along the 807-mile stretch of superhighway -- with Denver and St. Louis serving as the east-west anchors of the corridor.
"It's art, it's history, it's nostalgia, it's antique," Reinhardt enthused. According to Reinhardt, three of the restored carousels are in Denver, two in St. Louis, and others in towns along I-70 such as Abilene and Topeka, Kansas and Burlington, Colorado.
Leavenworth will soon be added to this list. "Like nearly all carousels manufactured in the United States until the 1920s, the Leavenworth carousel features hand-carved wooden animals. But one other factor related to the merry-go-round project has created intense local interest: the machine was built in the historic Missouri River town [of Leavenworth] by a local merry-go-round manufacturer, C.W. Parker."
In 1988, the Leavenworth Historical Museum Association agreed to purchase a 40-foot wide Parker carousel from a couple in Indiana, but was unable to raise the money for the purchase price of $100,000. A year ago, Jewell West and his wife Diane took over leadership of the association and initiated a new fund-raising effort with local officials.
The Wests were able to secure funding for purchase of the carousel through a $50,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce, a $25,000 grant from the Leavenworth-Lansing Chamber of Commerce, and a $25,000 loan from a mortgage on the group's office building. The Leavenworth County Commission contributed another $5,000 for initial insurance costs.
"The carousel features an 18-foot tall canopy. ... The machine includes a menagerie of 24 two-abreast wooden horses, three ponies, two oversized rabbits, one chariot and one spinning lovers' cup," according to the Wests.
The Wests hope to have the carousel transported to Leavenworth later this month. Once it is back in town, the carousel animals will need restoration and refinishing, and the mechanical works must be put in working order. Also, additional funding must be secured to construct a permanent, out-of-the-weather structure to house the carousel.
"Town Knows Carousel's Attraction"
The Abilene community has welcomed home a wandering son. "Abilene's restored C.W. Parker carousel, which was dedicated in the summer of 1996, required a total of 12 years of work to complete by the Dickinson County Historical Society and other civic groups." The carousel traveled all over the country in one of Parker's touring carnivals, and now has returned to its place of origin.
"Abilene's carousel, which features hand-carved horses with glass eyes and genuine horsehair tails is located on the grounds of the historical society's Dickinson County Heritage Center, east of the Dwight D. Eisenhower presidential library and museum."
1997 marks the 101st anniversary of several manufacturing developments in Parker carousels made in Abilene, including the first portable carousel, and the first one with the familiar jumping-horse mechanism which replaced the rocking, or back-and- forth motion.
Joyce Brite brite@ksu.edu http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~brite/ |
(Message sent Wed 12 Mar 1997, 14:54:25 GMT, from time zone GMT-0600.) |
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