The Prospect Park Carousel

Brooklyn, New York

The beauty and intricacy of this armored horse is astounding. My favorite piece on the carousel.

Rebirth is a word often associated with the carousel. It is depressing, but necessary, to dwell on the many machines that have been lost to fires, wrecks or greedy collectors. But, when one sees a fabulous machine like the one in Prospect Park reminds us that there are some people who do care about an entire carousel's future. This ride was first erected at Coney Island, at Brooklyn's southern tip, between 1912 and 1914 (sources are not sure, but suggest between 1910 & 1915). It was created by famed carousel carver Charles Carmel in his beautiful interpretation of the Coney Island style. This style featured very expressive horses and Carmel's often had lifelike stances. It is interesting that this carousel ended up at Brooklyn's beautiful park because it was carved only a few blocks away. Carmel, who lived on Ocean Parkway, often visited the park's stables and used those horses as inspiration for his carvings.

Prospect Park provides a lovely home for the carousel.

It is not known where the carousel was located at Coney, but it arrived at to Prospect Park in 1952. With time the carousel received solid coats of paint (often called park paint). These were flat coats that hid the magnificent carving lines and the intricacies Carmel put into the horse. Sadly, the music stopped after the 1983 operating season because the carousel, worn down and malfunctioning, was closed. Four years later the Prospect Park Alliance raised enough money to get the three-row ride restored. By 1990 the Wurlitzer organ was again churning out music for children to enjoy and the carousel spun once again. Today the ride is obviously a source of pride and stands as a silent testament to the carver who lived only a few blocks away until his death in 1966.

The lion is a close second-favorite. The eyes seem to stare right through you.

The carousel is housed in a traditional-style building, but the influences of both the fifties and the city are evident on the structure as it has a red brick structure with white brick stripes and large metal doors to keep people out while closed. One of the carousel's most noticeable features is its lion. Carmel was not known for his menagerie figures but on occasion carved them for frame builders; in this case it was Coney Island's own William F. Mangels. The chariot, reminiscent of Illions' work, is painted beautiful shades of green and has a haunting quality about it. The horses, carved full of life and energy are striking and are a joy to look at. The carousel is truly a work of art and the citizens of Brooklyn are lucky to have such a treasure in their backyard. The carousel is open 12-5 p.m. weekends and holidays, April through October and costs fifty cents per-ride.


The beautiful chariot with its dragon seems like it is out of a fairytale, not made from a carver's hand.	Carmel had an amazing ability to make his horses seem ready to jump off the carousel and run away.	Here one can see a beautiful assortment of horses.	The Prospect Park Carousel sits only two blocks north from the subway station of the same name.

Prospect Park

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