This carousel (PTC #79), built in 1926 and shipped to Coney Island
park in Cincinnati, Ohio, has actually had a number of different
band organs on it.

The first organ came with the carousel, probably from Berni, and was
supposedly a Gavioli, which played with the carousel until the huge
flood in the 1930s which completely destroyed the organ and washed
away two of the horses which were found floating on the river!

The next band organs (yes, 'organs', plural) were a "Wurlitzer 157",
actually built by Gavioli, and fitted with a Wurlitzer facade, along
with being converted to the 165 scale, and from what I've heard, this
doesn't sound like a 157.

But as for the _other_ organ, it was said to actually be a 165!  According
to an article by Dan Robinson, it was rebuilt and sent to Coney Island
in 1925.  In 1953, it was sold to Ralph Tussing in exchange for his
rebuilding the "157".  This organ is now in the Winstead collection.

What I don't understand is why the Gavioli 157 was replaced with the
Eakins 157.  On the other hand, I've seen pictures of the carousel in
the early 1970s (still at Coney Island) and the Gavioli 157 was gone.
So was it still there in the park, or was it sold?

Kings Island amusement park [Mason, Ohio] then got in the picture in
1972 and the stunning Wurlitzer 157 came straight with the carousel,
still with the fantastic gold facade.  In the 1980s the gold faded to
a tan, and the facade didn't look so good, but the organ played quite
well.  Someone told me that the park actually maintained the organ in
the early years.

In the 1980s or early '90s, when Paramount bought the park, the organ
maintenance was handed to Stinson and the park then strictly said "Only
pay to get it to play."  But still, from what I remember, the organ
sounded pretty good.

In the very late 1990s or early 2000s, the organ was actually restored
by Stinson, and a blower was put on, but nothing was replaced, so the
bellows are still there.

In late December 2005, or early January 2006, the organ played its last
notes for the public, as there was no time to send it to Stinson like
they usually did.  And this is when Greg Schield came into the picture.

But I shall say no more, except that I can keep hoping for this organ
to play again soon.  Whether it's by signing a petition, getting a
sponsor, etc., I just want the organ to play again.

Any thoughts?

Mikey Mills