Pawtucket Looff Carousel: The Oldest of Its Kind
A carousel, sometimes called a merry-go-round, is a site that summons nostalgia for many, myself included. As I think back to some of my earliest memories from childhood, one of the most vivid that comes to mind is the time I spent at a local carousel, the Pawtucket Looff Carousel specifically. This carousel is found in Slater Park, a place that got its name from the same historical figure as another important site found in the city. I must admit that I didn’t ponder the historical significance of the site when I visited as a young lad. However, today I am excited to share not just my own sentimental experience but also some historical reasons as to why the Pawtucket Looff Carousel is one of the most interesting sites in all of Rhode Island.
The History
First of all, let’s break down the name of the site in question. Pawtucket is a city in Rhode Island and a carousel is of course a carousel, but what is that word in the middle, “Looff,” doing there? Looff carousels are a type of carousel that were built and named after German-American carver Charles I. D. Looff. Looff was a pioneer and expert at his craft and he hand carved some of the oldest and most impressive carousels in America. He constructed more than 40 carousels during his lifetime, including the first carousel at famous Coney Island in the 1870s. Looff also worked on other amusement park attractions as well as made significant contributions to the Santa Monica pier.
In 1895, Looff built a carousel in his factory in Brooklyn, NY that was originally designed for a carnival in upstate New York called Lee Funland. However, in 1910 it was relocated and installed in Slater Park, where it still stands today.
As seen in the image above, this carousel has been recognized as the oldest Looff stander carousel in the entire world. This is not the only carousel of his found in Rhode Island; in fact Looff himself moved to Rhode Island and created a factory there. Crescent Park Looff Carousel in East Providence, RI still operates today as well and it has a detailed history, too.
In recent years, a non-profit organization called Friends of the Looff Carousel at Slater Park was established to preserve and promote the Pawtucket Looff Carousel. The group celebrated the 170th year anniversary of Charles I. D. Looff’s birth in 2022 and has also sold old postcards, ornaments and other antiques to raise money and help preserve the historical site.
Fun Facts
The Pawtucket Looff Carousel is just one of six carousels remaining in the United States that still resides in its original building. Shown below is an outside view of the site.
A little bit below this is another picture showing some of the carved animals that make up the different seats on the carousel. A majority of them are horses (44 in total) but there are some other animals, as well. Along with the horses include three dogs, a lion, a camel, a giraffe, and two luxurious chariot seats. Rides are just 50¢ apiece and some may find that the carousel actually goes at a pretty steady pace. In fact, the carousel has slowed down over the years to about 9 miles per hour today, but was as high as 14 mph in the past.
Once again, the Pawtucket Looff Carousel is found in Slater Park, which hosts a variety of other attractions nearby the carousel. The Rhode Island Watercolor Society is found just across the street from the carousel within the park; it is one of the oldest watercolor arts organizations in the country as it was founded in 1896. The site hosts exhibitions, classes and workshops, as well as a yearly calendar competition. Also right down the street is the Daggett House — a historic house that was constructed in 1685 and is one of the oldest houses in the entire state. The house was built and named after John Daggett Jr. and was built near his father’s house, however the John Daggett Sr. house is rumored to have been destroyed in King Philip’s War. Besides these older sites, Slater Park also hosts baseball fields, tennis courts, nature trails, a playground, a petting zoo, and much more.
Simon Says
Unlike many of the previous sites I have mentioned on this blog, I have visited the Pawtucket Looff Carousel a large number of times. I can’t remember the first time I was there as I was probably a toddler, but my many experiences there during my childhood have culminated into a deep sense of nostalgia. I played many sports in the park and would always love to go to the carousel during the summer months. I remember the chariots were always my favorite seats on the carousel and afterwards I would ask my parents for additional quarters so I could play some of the claw machines found in the building, too. While I remember learning that the carousel was old and full of history sometime during my youth, I learned a lot about the site while researching its history for this blog.
Overall, the Pawtucket Looff Carousel does not have the deepest history when comparing it to some of the other historical sites in Rhode Island that are more well known. Regardless, it has an interesting and important history of its own and it definitely made the largest impact on my childhood out of any other site I could have discussed. Its architecture is really nice and the ride itself has always been an enjoyable experience for myself and everyone else I’ve known. So with that being said, I would rate the Pawtucket Looff Carousel a 10/10, which I fully admit is a bit of a biased rating but nonetheless well deserved. Did you ever go on a carousel as a child (or perhaps even as an adult)? I’d love to hear about some of the interesting facts or personal experiences you had at such a place.
References
Looff Carousel Slater Park Staff. “About the Looff Carousel.” Looff Carousel Slater Park, n.d. https://www.looffcarouselslaterpark.com/
Shorey, Ethan. “Buy a piece of Pawtucket, help preserve sentimental landmark.” The Valley Breeze, 17 November 2022. https://www.valleybreeze.com/townnews/game/buy-a-piece-of-pawtucket-help-preserve-sentimental-landmark/article_dd57d71e-5450-11ed-a7b0-6b4e7693364b.html