Merry Go Rounds

The History of the Carousel

Call them Merry-go-rounds or Carousels. Either way the history of the Carousel is fascinating.

In the 1100’s, Italian and Spanish crusaders observed the Arabian and Turkish horsemen play a game on horseback. It was a very serious game in which little clay balls filled with scented water were tossed back and forth between the riders. The losers were those who missed a catch and smelled of perfume for days as a consequence.

Thus carousel is derived from the words "garosello" (Italian) and "carosella" (Spanish), both of which mean "little war", which was how this game was described.

The crusaders brought the game back to Europe where it became, in time, an extravagant display of horsemanship and finery that the French called carrousel.

A major event of the carrousel was the ring-spearing tournament in which a man would ride his horse or chariot full tilt, lance in hand, toward a small ring hanging from a tree limb or pole by brightly colored ribbons. The object, of course, was to spear the ring.

Then some innovative Frenchman decided to build a device to train young noblemen in the art of ring-spearing. His device consisted of carved horses and chariots suspended by chains from arms radiating from a centerpole....the carousel was born.

People soon decided this looked like fun and wanted to ‘ride’ the carousel.

By the late 1700's, there were numerous carousels built solely for amusement scattered throughout Europe. They were small and light.. . their size and weight limited by what could readily be move by man, mule, or horsepower. These limitations were removed with the invention of the steam engine.

When the power of steam was applied to carousels, the elaborate machines we think of became possible.

Gustav Dentzel was the man who pioneered the modern carousel in America ... in the 1860's. Many talented men followed his lead and their creations became the centerpiece of hundreds of amusement parks that sprung up in the cities and resorts of the United States.

And that is a brief introduction to the history of the Carousel.
If you are ever visiting Hood River, Oregon, make sure you stop and visit the The Carousel Museum.

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