One of the reasons we went to the Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton North Dakota was to see the Prairie Rose Carousel.
We always enjoy seeing these old works of art restored and working.
The scenery features South Dakota and North Dakota Towns.
The Chariots were quite detailed.
Adam is enjoying his ride. Here you can see how the top supports have been painted with Prairie Roses. Every bit of this carousel was clean and painted perfectly.
The horses were beautifully done but they lacked reins. Far Guy asked why they had been removed…and the fellow said he had no idea.
All the horses were named this one is Pat.
This is the home of the Prairie Rose Carousel. It is nicely protected from the weather inside. Park benches line the walls so old people can sit and let memories of other Carousels/Merry Go Rounds wander around in their brains.
Those old carousels are so pretty and this one has been restored beautifully. It does look a little silly for the horses to be missing their reins, but maybe they are still working on that. I love carousel music so I would probably be sitting in one of those "old folks' seats" for quite a while!
ReplyDeleteI love the old carousels. They bring back such fond memories.
ReplyDeleteIt's so beautiful! I love the pretty horses and how well they have been preserved. Thanks for introducing me to Pat. :-)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea this was in Wahpeton! My nephew lived there several years ago - nice town.
ReplyDeleteThe horses are amazing.
Indeed! Does it work? The one "rescued" from the State Fair was lovingly restored by a group led by fellow blogger Blissful Grandma and her husband at the Como Park zoo in St. Paul. I got to ride on it the first year....:)
ReplyDeleteOh yes this one works just fine! I have only seen photos of Nancy and Peters Carousel, they did a remarkable job restoring that carousel. I hope to see it someday. That cities traffic is horrid:(
DeleteI'd love to see this. We saw a carousel in Montana when we visited our friends. And interesting that the building that houses this is also kind of round.
ReplyDeleteToo cool! Did you ride on it too FarSide? :)
ReplyDeleteNo I just sat on the bench:)
DeleteWhat a magical place. Beautiful pieces.
ReplyDeleteWill this be a winter project for you? Lots of carving but I have faith in you both.
What a beautiful carousel! I got a kick out of the sign 'White Rock S.D.'. I grew up in White Rock B.C., which also had a big white rock!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think reins would complete that carousel. I think you should have had a ride;-)
How neat this is!!!
ReplyDeleteLinda
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Ah - what a lovely carousel!
ReplyDeleteI love to see these old carousels that have been restored. This one's a beauty!
ReplyDeleteWish I could control some of the memories that wander around in my old brain now.
ReplyDeleteSure You both enjoyed the day.
Thanks for sharing the information about the carousel. It's great! And I like that the historical information has been added. I am familiar with Cafesjian's Carousel at Como Park, but have never heard of the Prairie Rose Carousel. Fun to know!
ReplyDeleteSo glad people appreciate nice old carousels! Some restorers take the reins off because over time the reins and their hardware wear down the wood on the sides of the horses' faces. We took the attitude that normal wear is okay; our hundred-year-old carousel isn't supposed to look new. So we kept the reins and stirrups, and we touch up the paint now and again.
ReplyDeleteAnd Connie, let me know when you're going to be in the area and we will give you a guided tour. Can't help the traffic, but we can make it worth your while.
Love the carousel and really neat that it honors both ND and SD - which are really tightly bound indeed. I so enjoy that there are still folks in this world that will lovingly restore such fabulous pieces!
ReplyDeletePrairie Rose is the name of the rural municipality that I was born and raised in. I certainly remember riding on a Merry-go- round.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteI have always loved a merry-go-round! That one is so pretty. I would love to ride it. :)
ReplyDeleteIs there a difference between a carousel and a merry-go-round which is what we always called them growing up?
ReplyDeleteWhatever you call it...it's a beauty and i love the prairie roses.
Such a great old carousel, love it.Blessings Francine.
ReplyDeleteNow there's an expensive bit of nostalgia indulgence! And a lot of work and attention to detail. I think the people who made that dream a reality--the second time--should be recognized for all they did to bring this project to life again. That was likely no small task.
ReplyDeleteWe have a few scattered in the Des Moines area. The one at the mall that got demolished was then moved to the zoo with its own building. That is a very nice merry go ground.
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