Flushing Meadows Carousel

The two predecessor carousels were the Feltman's Carousel (1903) and the Stubbman Carousel (1908), both of which were created for amusement operators in Coney Island. 47 horses and the frame are from the Stubbman Carousel, and 24 horses are from the Feltman's Carousel. Feltman's carousel is regarded by some as Marcus Illions' masterpiece. The Stubbman Carousel was located at West 6th Street and Surf Avenue. It was part of the Stubbman's Beer Garden, which sat adjacent to the Hotel Eleanor. The site is currently occupied by the New York Aquarium. The Stubbman machine had 64 horses and spun in Stubbman's Beer Garden until 1953, when it was moved near Steeplechase Park and operated as an independent concession. The Summit article said that the Stubbman Carousel was, “commissioned by George and Henry Stubbman for their beer garden. The building housing the merry-go-round was prominently labeled, ‘Hotel Eleanor, Open All Year.’ The carousel itself was a proud addition to the Marcus-Illions stable. Its handsome Louis XIV chariots put the snake-headed, winged dragons of Feltman to shame. Some of the featured carvings were more lifelike and inventive than the Feltman horses, but the overall effect of the rim and central enclosure was less magical; the Stubbman never gained the widespread acclaim and popularity of its predecessor.” The Stubbman horses were a bit more subdued and simpler. Both frames were made by famed Coney Island ride manufacturer William F. Mangels. The Stubbman frame was eventually used on the Flushing Meadows Carousel when the two machines were combined. It has another feature rare to many carousels, slots in the floor that allow the horses to tilt outwards as the machine picks up speed. The Feltman's carousel spun under a few different owners. It ran from 1903 to 1954 as part Feltman's. In 1954 Dewey Albert and Nathan Handwerker bought the property, improved it, and called it Wonderland. Handwerker eventually wanted out of the deal and Albert now called the shots. He decided to build Astroland, the first phase of which opened in 1962. The carousel operated indoors until 1962 and outdoors through the 1963 season when it was packed up to make room for Astroland's 200-foot Astrotower. On January 18, 1964 Albert, in the New York Times article “’Greatest’ Carousel is Stilled at Coney Island”, said he sold it due to, “Economics. That’s the reason. The carrousel took up too much space and didn’t make enough money.” == Carousel in Flushing Meadows ==

The American Cavalcade Corporation was formed in order to put a carousel at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Various sources, however, give credit to different people. The website “The 1964-65 New York World’s Fair” credits John S. Rogers with forming The American Cavalcade Corporation, while the New York Times obituary of Greer Marechal, Jr., dating from 1968 credits him with the company's formation. Either way, they and other investors pulled together the company and purchased the Feltman's and Stubbman's Carousels. The original idea was to purchase the Feltman's carousel and re-open that machine, but it was in such bad shape it was quickly realized that it could not run again without a huge investment. Therefore, the Stubbman machine was purchased really for the frame and mechanical componentry. Since both frames were made by Mangels the components were typical and the Feltman creatures could be used on the Stubbman frame when the ride re-opened at the fair. Rogers said that he negotiated with a “large parcel in the Industrial Sector, near the main gate (near IBM), that became available at the last minute plan plans for an amusement park-type exhibit by H.L. Hunt was cancelled.” Rogers had an agreement with the S&H Green Stamp store, who would provide funding as the host, but that never came to fruition. This led to the carousel making its owners little money at the fair. ==Gallery==

File:Flushing Meadows carousel jeh.jpg|The carousel is now located in a small amusements area near the zoo in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. File:Flushing Meadows Carousel 01.JPG|Note the slots in the floor that allow the horses to tilt while the carousel is in motion, an unusual feature. File:Flushing Meadows Carousel 02.JPG|The flamboyant ornamentation was characteristic of the "Coney Island" style of carousel carving. File:Flushing Meadows Carousel 03.JPG|This figure graces the inner section near the calliope. File:Flushing Meadows Carousel 04.JPG|Dragon figures around the coach and elaborately ornamented center section. Flushing Meadows Carousel 05.JPG|Note the human figure on the horse's chest. ==See also==