C. W. Parker Carousel
Encyclopedia
The C. W. Parker Carousel is a carousel
built in 1912 currently operating in the Burnaby Village Museum
at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, British Columbia
. The carousel was built by the C. W. Parker Company and is also known as the Parker #119 and the Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel. The carousel was the 119th such machine built by the C. W. Parker Company, earning it its "Parker #119" nickname. The carousel contains 41 horses and operates at a pavilion
known as the Don Wrigley Pavilion located at one of the museum's two entrances, earning the entrance the name "Carousel Entrance".
by Charles Wallace Parker who owned the C. W. Parker Company, and was the 119th one made by them. It was sold in 1913 for $5,886.00. The carousel toured Texas
for two years with the Lone Star Circus. In 1915 the machine was shipped back to the factory.
It is believed that the machine was rebuilt by the factory. Some fancier horses and heavier rounding boards may have been added. Some of the horses were built in 1917 and some in 1920-1922. The history of the carousel from 1915-1936 is unknown. The carousel was purchased by Happyland, an amusement park
in Vancouver
, British Columbia
in 1936.
The carousel remained at Happyland until the amusement park was demolished in 1957. It was moved to the new small pavilion in Playland
, (another amusement park in Vancouver) until that too was demolished in 1972.
From 1972 to 1989, Parker #119 was operated outdoors, and was put away each winter.
In 1989 it was announced that the carousel would be sold off horse by horse at an auction in New York
. Local residents came together to save the carousel and formed the "Friends of the Vancouver Carousel Society". It was at this time that the carousel was nicknamed the Parker #119.
In May 1989, the Burnaby Village Museum
agreed to provide a home for the carousel and the "Friends", led by President Don Wrigley, set about raising the $350,000 to purchase the machine. Keith Jamieson, a carousel expert, was brought in to coordinate the rebuilding project. In 1990, the carousel was purchased. Funds were also raised to pay for the restoration. People who donated money could sponsor a horse and later name it. The museum agreed to build a new pavilion
to house the carousel. The pavilion, named the Don Wrigley Pavilion was completed in 1993. The carousel was then named the Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel.
Notes:
Some of the carousel's horses are not actually horses, but are listed as such for the purpose of creating a list on the carousel's horses. Examples of this are Horse #38, "Gold Heart Chariot" and Horse #40, "Wurlitzer Band Organ".
Horse #37, known as "Old Paint", was sponsored by the Burnaby Village Museum
and was not restored, as a reminder to visitors of the sorry state the carousel was in when the museum first acquired it. The horse was named for the "old paint" that was originally on the carousel before it was restored. The horse is currently in a display case next to the carousel.
Horse #39 is really four small ponies and a wheelchair
. This was placed to make the carousel accessible to toddlers and disabled people.
Horse #41 is really two small ponies. While originally on the carousel with Horse #39, they were removed to make room for Horse #39's wheelchair and placed, one each, at the museum's two entrances.
There were originally two chariots on the carousel. One has since gone missing while the carousel was under the ownership of a theme park. The ponies which now form Horses #39 and #41 were added to the area where the other chariot was originally placed. Horse #38 was also cut in half, removing the backdrop and adding more seats to the carousel (a plan to generate more income from the carousel by allowing more people to ride it, done by one of the carousel's theme park owners). When the carousel was bought by the museum, Horse #38 underwent restoration, adding a backdrop to it, making it a chariot once again.
C. W. Parker carousels are in use in
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
built in 1912 currently operating in the Burnaby Village Museum
Burnaby Village Museum
The Burnaby Village Museum, previously known as the Heritage Village, is an open air museum in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada located at Deer Lake Park. It is a reconstructed 1920s village, containing 31 full scale buildings, as well as costumed staff demonstrating traditional trades. The museum...
at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The carousel was built by the C. W. Parker Company and is also known as the Parker #119 and the Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel. The carousel was the 119th such machine built by the C. W. Parker Company, earning it its "Parker #119" nickname. The carousel contains 41 horses and operates at a pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
known as the Don Wrigley Pavilion located at one of the museum's two entrances, earning the entrance the name "Carousel Entrance".
History
The carousel was built in 1912 at Leavenworth, KansasKansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
by Charles Wallace Parker who owned the C. W. Parker Company, and was the 119th one made by them. It was sold in 1913 for $5,886.00. The carousel toured Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
for two years with the Lone Star Circus. In 1915 the machine was shipped back to the factory.
It is believed that the machine was rebuilt by the factory. Some fancier horses and heavier rounding boards may have been added. Some of the horses were built in 1917 and some in 1920-1922. The history of the carousel from 1915-1936 is unknown. The carousel was purchased by Happyland, an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in 1936.
The carousel remained at Happyland until the amusement park was demolished in 1957. It was moved to the new small pavilion in Playland
Playland (Vancouver)
Playland is an amusement park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located in Hastings Park and is the oldest amusement park in Canada....
, (another amusement park in Vancouver) until that too was demolished in 1972.
From 1972 to 1989, Parker #119 was operated outdoors, and was put away each winter.
In 1989 it was announced that the carousel would be sold off horse by horse at an auction in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Local residents came together to save the carousel and formed the "Friends of the Vancouver Carousel Society". It was at this time that the carousel was nicknamed the Parker #119.
In May 1989, the Burnaby Village Museum
Burnaby Village Museum
The Burnaby Village Museum, previously known as the Heritage Village, is an open air museum in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada located at Deer Lake Park. It is a reconstructed 1920s village, containing 31 full scale buildings, as well as costumed staff demonstrating traditional trades. The museum...
agreed to provide a home for the carousel and the "Friends", led by President Don Wrigley, set about raising the $350,000 to purchase the machine. Keith Jamieson, a carousel expert, was brought in to coordinate the rebuilding project. In 1990, the carousel was purchased. Funds were also raised to pay for the restoration. People who donated money could sponsor a horse and later name it. The museum agreed to build a new pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
to house the carousel. The pavilion, named the Don Wrigley Pavilion was completed in 1993. The carousel was then named the Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel.
Carousel horses
The carousel's horses are listed here:| # | Name | Sponsor | Color | Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captain Julius | Don and Dorothy Wrigley and Family | Grey | Jumper |
| 2 | Royal Burnaby Belle | Burnaby Area Royal Banks Staff | Sorrel | Jumper |
| 3 | Champion | Vancouver City Savings Credit Union | Brown black | Hunter's Pride |
| 4 | Firefly | Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society Local 323 | Black | Stargazer |
| 5 | Phar Lap | Magaret Mitchell | Red chestnut | Cowboy |
| 6 | Scampering Dawn | Dennis and Cice Brown | Yellow-white | American Beauty Rose |
| 7 | Vanessa | Parkland Ventures Ltd. | Palomino | Jumper |
| 8 | Treasure | Elsie T. Gordon | Dark bay | Stargazer |
| 9 | Mignonette | Ethel and Faye Stebner, and Ken Diamond | Grey-white | American Beauty Rose |
| 10 | Valiant | Paula V. Tanchyk | Blue-black | Armored Horse |
| 11 | Vivian | Barbara Becher | Yellow-white | Lillie Belle |
| 12 | Nareena | Gary, Umeeda and Nareena Switlo | Brown roan | Stargazer |
| 13 | Nipoti | Bill and Ruth Copeland | Bay Ovaro Pinto | Flag |
| 14 | Mr. Ed | Ethel Stebner | Palomino | Jumper |
| 15 | Allegro | Harry and Hazel Sumner | Light bay | Jumper |
| 16 | John Ernest | Ernie and Pat Beaucamp | Chestnut Sorrel | Cowboy |
| 17 | Betty B. | The Beedie Group | Brown black | American Shield |
| 18 | Bingo | Gordon Robson | Chestnut | Hunter's Pride |
| 19 | Dyck | Margery M. Robinson | Dark liver chestnut | Jumper |
| 20 | Twister | Dennis and Flory Bosa | Strawberry roan Appaloosa | Flag |
| 21 | Centennial | Burnaby City Council | Palomino | Jumper |
| 22 | Tommy D. | Mayor Bill Copeland and Burnaby MPs | Cream white | Stargazer |
| 23 | Rose B. | Rose Bancroft Sr., George Bancroft, and Rose Bancroft | Brown black | Jumper |
| 24 | James | Rose and George Bancroft | Sorrel | Jumper |
| 25 | Pisces | Gin and Dorcas Farn | White | Jumper |
| 26 | Meg | Derek Corrigan Derek Corrigan Derek Richard Corrigan is the current mayor of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.Corrigan is a graduate of Vancouver's Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School and has lived in Burnaby since 1977, the same year he obtained a law degree from the University of British Columbia. Prior to law school he... |
Dapple grey | Jumper |
| 27 | Wheeler | The Rotary Club of Burnaby - Deer Lake | Burgundy | Jumper |
| 28 | Guppy | Dorothy E. Wrigley and Cice Brown | Palomino | Jumper |
| 29 | Rebel | Burnaby South Secondary School Burnaby South Secondary School Burnaby South Secondary is a public high school in Burnaby, British Columbia. It is one of the eight high schools within School District 41 Burnaby... |
Dapple grey | Jumper |
| 30 | Royal Warrior | Buckingham Elementary School | Palomino | Jumper |
| 31 | Venus | Restaurant and Food Services Association of B.C. | Grey white | Jumper |
| 32 | The Colonel | Dr. E. M. Stevens | Buckskin | Jumper |
| 33 | Happy Marie | Marie and Fred Donatiello and Mary (Lily) McCormack | Blue roan | Jumper |
| 34 | Shannon | Instabox Vancouver | Sorrel | Jumper |
| 35 | Annie | Parklane Ventures Ltd. | Leopard spot Appaloosa | Jumper |
| 36 | Royal George | Roy Brainerd | Strawberry roan | Jumper |
| 37 | Old Paint1 | Burnaby Village Museum Burnaby Village Museum The Burnaby Village Museum, previously known as the Heritage Village, is an open air museum in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada located at Deer Lake Park. It is a reconstructed 1920s village, containing 31 full scale buildings, as well as costumed staff demonstrating traditional trades. The museum... Staff and Volunteers |
Creamy white | Cowboy |
| 38 | Gold Heart Chariot2 | Variety Club | White | N/A |
| 39 |
|
Ronald McDonald Children's Charities of Canada |
|
N/A |
| 40 | Wurlitzer Band Organ1 2 4 | N/A | White | N/A |
| 41 | Senate Appointee and Franworth1 5 | Diamond Foundation | N/A | N/A |
Notes:
- Not on carousel
- Not really a horse, but considered one of listing purposes
- Is really four small metal ponies and a wheelchair
- Has many sponsors
- Is really two small metal ponies
Carousel horse notes
This section notes horses that are not actually on the carousel and horses that are not really horses.Some of the carousel's horses are not actually horses, but are listed as such for the purpose of creating a list on the carousel's horses. Examples of this are Horse #38, "Gold Heart Chariot" and Horse #40, "Wurlitzer Band Organ".
Horse #37, known as "Old Paint", was sponsored by the Burnaby Village Museum
Burnaby Village Museum
The Burnaby Village Museum, previously known as the Heritage Village, is an open air museum in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada located at Deer Lake Park. It is a reconstructed 1920s village, containing 31 full scale buildings, as well as costumed staff demonstrating traditional trades. The museum...
and was not restored, as a reminder to visitors of the sorry state the carousel was in when the museum first acquired it. The horse was named for the "old paint" that was originally on the carousel before it was restored. The horse is currently in a display case next to the carousel.
Horse #39 is really four small ponies and a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
. This was placed to make the carousel accessible to toddlers and disabled people.
Horse #41 is really two small ponies. While originally on the carousel with Horse #39, they were removed to make room for Horse #39's wheelchair and placed, one each, at the museum's two entrances.
There were originally two chariots on the carousel. One has since gone missing while the carousel was under the ownership of a theme park. The ponies which now form Horses #39 and #41 were added to the area where the other chariot was originally placed. Horse #38 was also cut in half, removing the backdrop and adding more seats to the carousel (a plan to generate more income from the carousel by allowing more people to ride it, done by one of the carousel's theme park owners). When the carousel was bought by the museum, Horse #38 underwent restoration, adding a backdrop to it, making it a chariot once again.
See also
- Lander Park CarouselLander Park CarouselThe Lander Park Carousel , known also as Parker Carousel, Dickinson County Parker Carousel, or Riverton Park Carousel is a carousel in Abilene, Kansas. It is one of only three surviving carousels out of about 68 built by Abilene's Charles W...
C. W. Parker carousels are in use in
- Faulkton, South DakotaFaulkton, South DakotaFaulkton is a city in and the county seat of Faulk County, South Dakota, United States. Its nickname is the Carousel City. The population was 736 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Faulkton is located at ....
- Jantzen Beach, Portland, OregonJantzen BeachJantzen Beach Amusement Park was a popular amusement park from 1928 to 1970 in Portland, Oregon, on Hayden Island in the middle of the Columbia River. "The Coney Island of the West" opened on May 26, 1928 as the largest amusement park in the nation, covering over at the northern tip of...
- Roseneath, Ontario
- Waterloo, Wisconsin
- Madison, WisconsinMadison, WisconsinMadison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
External links
- City of Burnaby C. W. Parker Carousel webpage
- C. W. Parker Carousel Museum webpage
- Westland.net, for details of fate of some C. W. Parker carousels, roller coasters & Carousels webpage