Seaside Heights NJ losing its 82 year old carousel

[SamRoc]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/07...sel-set-to-be-sold-taken-away-from-boardwalk/

First Hurricane Sandy, then the fire, now the only carousel left on the boardwalk is going to be sold and taken away.

 

[LBIJim]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/07...sel-set-to-be-sold-taken-away-from-boardwalk/

First Hurricane Sandy, then the fire, now the only carousel left on the boardwalk is going to be sold and taken away.

Is this the Casino Pier carousel, across from where the roller coaster fell into the ocean? This article doesn't specifically say so, but other articles did identify it as such. If it IS the Casino Pier merry-go-round, I dislike how the article said the carousel survived the devastating fire on the Boardwalk last September. It neglects to mention that it's located about 10 blocks away from the area that burned. The fire spread no where near it.

Still, it's sad to hear that it's being auctioned off. I understand the owner's reasons.

I believe Funtown Pier (the area that burned) once had a carousel as well. Not sure whatever happened to THAT ride. I can't imagine it surviving the fire. Maybe it was removed before Sandy and the fire.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

This bums me out massively, but Seaside hasn't felt like the Seaside I knew and grew up with since Sandy, unfortunately. Was hoping a kajillionaire Jerseyan would step in to prevent this like what happened in Asbury Park, but it wasn't meant to be.

 

[bcla]

Someone's math is off. The article says it was a 1910 carousel, and right now it's 2014. So wouldn't it make the thing somewhere around 113 to 114 years old? It does mention that it was installed there in 1932, so it's been operating in the same location for 82 years.

I love old carousels. The newer ones are often made with fiberglass animals and feel kind of cheap. A real wooden carousel animal just has a special feel. I've taken my kid to four of them in the area, along with the Looff in Santa Cruz that still has a ring machine. The history of most of these rides is of finding new homes and the possibility that they'd be sold and the new owner might restore the animals and split them up for sale to collectors. The King Arthur Carousel at Disneyland is all horses, and that was because Walt wanted it that way. It started off as a Dentzel, but where horses (not all the same manufacturer) were added from assorted pieces that were split up from the original carousels.

There's a Dentzel at the San Francisco Zoo.

 

[Denise W]

There is a Looff carousel in East Providence, RI that still has the ring machine, was restored and is still operating. My kids loved going there and trying to catch the gold ring for a free ride!

Denise

 

[LBIJim]

Someone's math is off. The article says it was a 1910 carousel, and right now it's 2014. So wouldn't it make the thing somewhere around 113 to 114 years old? It does mention that it was installed there in 1932, so it's been operating in the same location for 82 years.

I love old carousels. The newer ones are often made with fiberglass animals and feel kind of cheap. A real wooden carousel animal just has a special feel. I've taken my kid to four of them in the area, along with the Looff in Santa Cruz that still has a ring machine. The history of most of these rides is of finding new homes and the possibility that they'd be sold and the new owner might restore the animals and split them up for sale to collectors. The King Arthur Carousel at Disneyland is all horses, and that was because Walt wanted it that way. It started off as a Dentzel, but where horses (not all the same manufacturer) were added from assorted pieces that were split up from the original carousels.

There's a Dentzel at the San Francisco Zoo.

Another article did mention that the carousel originally operated elsewhere before being moved to Seaside Heights in 1932.

I don't remember this carousel having a ring machine for at least 30 years, probably longer. But I'm pretty sure it had one when I was a kid. Yes, the Santa Cruz carousel is a great one with a ring machine. Knoebel's in Pennsylvania has one as well. I'm going to Kennywood near Pittsburgh this weekend. Perhaps their carousel has one too.

Not sure about Santa Monica.

 

[bcla]

Another article did mention that the carousel originally operated elsewhere before being moved to Seaside Heights in 1932.

I don't remember this carousel having a ring machine for at least 30 years, probably longer. But I'm pretty sure it had one when I was a kid. Yes, the Santa Cruz carousel is a great one with a ring machine. Knoebel's in Pennsylvania has one as well. I'm going to Kennywood near Pittsburgh this weekend. Perhaps their carousel has one too.

Not sure about Santa Monica.

As far as math being off, so was mine. That should have read about 103 to 104 years old.

 

[bcla]

There is a Loof carousel in East Providence, RI that still has the ring machine, was restored and is still operating. My kids loved going there and trying to catch the gold ring for a free ride!

Denise

Catch it for a free ride? The only ring machine I've ever seen in person was on a ride with a clown face target along the wall, It was almost too easy to get the ring, but not so easy to hit the target. Basically it had a hole for the mouth, and if the ring went into this hole, the eyes lit up.

OK - I looked up the deal where it was a bunch of steel rings and maybe one brass ring that could be exchanged for a free ride. They certainly didn't have that where I rode. In fact, I remember when they were all made of brass.

 

[EMode]

We were just there a couple weeks ago, if I knew this I would have taken a ride. This was our first trip back since Sandy and it just wasn't the same. I've always liked Point Pleasant better so I don't think we' ll be back to Seaside any time soon.

 

[Hillbeans]

We were just there a couple weeks ago, if I knew this I would have taken a ride. This was our first trip back since Sandy and it just wasn't the same. I've always liked Point Pleasant better so I don't think we' ll be back to Seaside any time soon.

I am less and less liking Point Pleasant because of the dismal parking available, and I refuse to pay $25 to park for an evening. I used to go to Seaside every year growing up but with Sandy and the fire last year, I agree it's just not the same anymore.

I think Ocean City NJ's boardwalk is now my new favorite, it's wide, clean and there are much better parking options albeit it's a further trip.

 

[Fan of Figment]

I was saddened to hear this. I've been going to Seaside Heights my whole life. I agree that it hasn't been the same since Sandy or the fire. Or to really pin it down, since Jersey Shore came to town!! It was all down hill from there. I still consider it my "home" shore point though. I'm not sure where we would go if we had to pick another one.

 

[Ginny Favers]

I was just there last weekend and we walked up the boardwalk from Seaside Park and rode the carousel one last time.

Though they are rebuilding the actual boards, the whole place is rather depressing now. I hope they rebuild Funtown because right now all they have there is a blocked off section with some palm trees. The Funtown Pier carousel was destroyed in the fire, so the Casino Pier carousel is the only one left. I really can't believe this hasn't been stopped. Even if they need money, it's the only carousel left up there. Sell off something else, but leave the carousel alone.

 

[EMode]

I was just there last weekend and we walked up the boardwalk from Seaside Park and rode the carousel one last time.

Though they are rebuilding the actual boards, the whole place is rather depressing now. I hope they rebuild Funtown because right now all they have there is a blocked off section with some palm trees. The Funtown Pier carousel was destroyed in the fire, so the Casino Pier carousel is the only one left. I really can't believe this hasn't been stopped. Even if they need money, it's the only carousel left up there. Sell off something else, but leave the carousel alone.

I don't agree with stopping the sale, its up to the owners to decide, not peope who don't have the financial burden of keeping it. Now if people are willing to pay for the insurance and maintenance themselves, or the town was willing to step in and buy it with public funds and use taxes to maintain it that would be one thing, but its wrong to force the current owners to keep it and pay for it just because it saddens you that it won't be there.
The carousel doesn't fit in Seaside anyway, its just too trashy there (and was even before Jersey Shore, that show just highlighted it).

 

[Denise W]

Catch it for a free ride? The only ring machine I've ever seen in person was on a ride with a clown face target along the wall, It was almost too easy to get the ring, but not so easy to hit the target. Basically it had a hole for the mouth, and if the ring went into this hole, the eyes lit up.

OK - I looked up the deal where it was a bunch of steel rings and maybe one brass ring that could be exchanged for a free ride. They certainly didn't have that where I rode. In fact, I remember when they were all made of brass.

Yes, if you caught a steel ring as you went by you threw it into the clown's mouth. If you got the only brass/gold ring, they gave you a ticket for a free ride. It is still operating this way.
Denise

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Just came across this uncut video footage on FB today of Seaside in 1985 I believe. They were filming a commercial and this is the uncut footage. While much of it is boring, I love to look at the styles (people on the boardwalk actually wearing clothes), how packed the stands used to be and I almost fell over when I saw the Burger King at the southern most part of the Boardwalk. I had forgotten all about that.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/...&utm_content=test&utm_campaign=social-inbound

 

[Hillbeans]

Just came across this uncut video footage on FB today of Seaside in 1985 I believe. They were filming a commercial and this is the uncut footage. While much of it is boring, I love to look at the styles (people on the boardwalk actually wearing clothes), how packed the stands used to be and I almost fell over when I saw the Burger King at the southern most part of the Boardwalk. I had forgotten all about that.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/...&utm_content=test&utm_campaign=social-inbound

lol, I love the Men's shorts - they are just so short compared to the styles today. I do remember the Burger King.

My brother's favorite thing to do in life was at that boardwalk, it was the car shifting game, where you would shift from first gear, and a light would travel down and then you'd have to shift again to 2nd Gear, 3rd gear, etc...and then get a paper ticket if you won. He would then trade those in for trophies.

I often think that he doesn't know how to drive a stick shift yet did it every summer in Seaside from 1977-1990!

 

[SamRoc]

I believe Funtown Pier (the area that burned) once had a carousel as well. Not sure whatever happened to THAT ride. I can't imagine it surviving the fire. Maybe it was removed before Sandy and the fire.[/QUOTE


The carousel at Funtown pier was burned down in the September fire. heres a before and after picture. I had a picture of my daughter on it every year.

 

[SamRoc]

I am less and less liking Point Pleasant because of the dismal parking available, and I refuse to pay $25 to park for an evening. I used to go to Seaside every year growing up but with Sandy and the fire last year, I agree it's just not the same anymore.

I think Ocean City NJ's boardwalk is now my new favorite, it's wide, clean and there are much better parking options albeit it's a further trip.

I took friends up to pt pleasant july 4th weekend and just dropped them off. parking was $30 - $50 in the lots!

 

[bcla]

I believe Funtown Pier (the area that burned) once had a carousel as well. Not sure whatever happened to THAT ride. I can't imagine it surviving the fire. Maybe it was removed before Sandy and the fire.[/QUOTE


The carousel at Funtown pier was burned down in the September fire. heres a before and after picture. I had a picture of my daughter on it every year.

I looked it up, and apparently that one wasn't a true antique. Its predecessor was antique, and the owners decided to auction it off as artwork and installed a less valuable "antique replica" in its place. And the one sold off wasn't even the original (that burned down).

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/14/n...arousel-boardwalk-comes-full-circle.html?_r=0

Angelo Cappetta, one of the owners of the business that operated the ride that was destroyed, said the company had operated a carousel there for at least 99 years. But the original one burned in the last terrible fire on the Boardwalk, in 1955, he said.

That carousel was replaced with another that served as a centerpiece of the Boardwalk until 1990, Mr. Cappetta said. By that time, its value as a work of American art exceeded its utility, so the company auctioned it off and had an “antique replica” built to take its place, he said.

 

[SamRoc]

The one that they are auctioning is on casino pier and was built in 1910. It moved to Seaside in 1932 so its been here for 82 years. Its sad there won't be any carousels left on the boardwalk. There is alot of rumors about the fire last september that claimed most of the seaside park boardwalk, as it was a firemens convention in wildwood and there were hardly any firemen in the area. Alot of speculation is that it will become alot like Pier Village in Long Branch which changed dramatically after their fire in 1987.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pier_Village