Charles I. D. Looff
Encyclopedia
Charles I. D. Looff was a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff built the first carousel at Coney Island
in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheel
s, and built California's famous Santa Monica Pier
. He became famous for creating the unique Coney Island style of carousel carving.His carousel museum is now located at 2500 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90806.
, Denmark
on May 24, 1852 as Carl Jurgen Detlef Looff. He learned the art of woodcarving and immigrated to the United States, arriving in New York City on August 14, 1870. Settling on Leonard Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, he found work as a carver at a furniture factory. Working part-time as a ballroom dance instructor, Looff met and married Anna Dolle in 1874. After working in the furniture factory all day, he took scraps of wood home to his apartment and began carving them into carousel animals. Young Looff assembled his wooden horses and animals onto a circular platform and created his first merry-go-round. In 1876, he installed his ride at Vandeveer's Bathing Pavilion at West Sixth Street and Surf Avenue. This was Coney Island's first carousel
.
Charles Looff opened a factory at 30 Bedford Avenue and built two more carousels, doing all the carving himself. He located one at Feltman's Beer Garden on Surf Avenue, Coney Island
, and the other at Young's Million dollar Pier at Atlantic City, New Jersey
. Impressed with this new kind of amusement ride, Mr. Young bought it from the ecstatic carver. Looff began to hire expert carvers such as John Zalar, Marcus Charles Illions, John Mueller and Charles Carmel to help with his expanding business.
Charles and Anna produced six children: Anna (1875–1896), Helen (1877–1956), Emma (1879–1938), Charles (1881–1924), William (1883–1945), Arthur (1888–1970). All except Anna, who died at age 21, as a result of a trolley accident, would work with their father in the carousel business. When the City of New York took his property under eminent domain
to build a city park, Looff moved his family to the Crescent Park Amusement Park
, in Riverside, Rhode Island
.
. Boyden commissioned Charles I. D. Looff to build a large carousel at the head of a 400-foot pier that received throngs of people from the steamboats that cruised up and down the Bay. Crescent Park became known as "the Coney Island of the East" during this time. In 1895, Charles I. D. Looff built another, larger and more elaborate carousel overlooking the midway. He used this ride as a showpiece for prospective buyers to choose the types of carved horses for their machines. Looff built his workshop adjoining the carousel. Here he would produce many merry-go-rounds for amusement parks in New England and across the United States. Looff's daughter, Helen, and her husband, Charles Simmons bought the ride from Looff's widow's estate in 1930. This carousel has been restored, is still operating, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976. In 1985, the Rhode Island General Assembly proclaimed the Carousel as the "State Jewel of American Folk Art". In 1987, the United States Department of Interior, National Park Service
, designated the Carousel as a National Historic Landmark
.
Charles Looff's son, Charles, worked in the shop carving saddles and chariots for his father. In 1920, young Charles purchased Crescent Park. He built many of the popular rides of the time, including the Rivers of Venice, and the Shoot the Chutes. He remodeled the huge Alhambra Ballroom by adding large roof trusses and removing the many columns, thereby opening the whole floor into one big space for ballroom dancing. Son Charles also built an excursion boat, which he named the “Miss Looff” after his sister Anna, which plied the waters of Narragansett Bay bringing customers from Providence
and Newport, Rhode Island
to Crescent Park. Son Charles married Emma Simmons, the sister of Charles Simmons, who had married Helen Looff.
In 1909, Charles I. D. Looff built a beautiful carousel with 54 horses and gave it to his daughter, Emma, as a wedding present, when she married Louis Vogel. The ride was installed at Natatorium Park in Spokane, Washington.
, an amusement area on Long Beach’s waterfront, and built a magnificent merry-go-round there. The family lived in an apartment above the ride. Son, Arthur, also operated Lite-a-line, a type of Fascination (game)
at the Pike. In 1943, the carousel was destroyed by fire and replaced with another Looff merry-go-round.
In 1916, Looff with his son, Arthur, designed and built Looff's Santa Monica Pier
along the south-side of the city’s long, narrow, municipal pier. They constructed a large Byzantine-Moorish style "Hippodrome" building to house one of their ornate carousels, now known as the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome
. The Looff‘s also erected the Blue Streak Racer wooden roller coaster
on their new pleasure pier, along with The Whip
and the Aeroscope thrill ride.
In addition to Santa Monica and the Pike, Looff built and operated amusement parks and carousels at Ocean Park, Redondo Beach
, Venice Beach, Santa Cruz
(still in operation), and San Francisco, California
. Other merry-go-rounds were located in Oregon, Washington, Oklahoma, and Texas. Charles I. D. Looff died on July 1, 1918 in Long Beach, California. After his death, Arthur Looff continued to manage the family's West coast operation, including building the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
.
The Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome
and the Santa Cruz Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster were both designated National Historic Landmarks in 1987.
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
in 1876. During his lifetime, he manufactured over 50 carousels,twelve amusements parks, several roller coasters and Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
s, and built California's famous Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier located at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California and is a prominent, 100-year-old landmark.-Pacific Park:...
. He became famous for creating the unique Coney Island style of carousel carving.His carousel museum is now located at 2500 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90806.
From Denmark to Brooklyn
Charles Looff was born in Bramstedt, Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on May 24, 1852 as Carl Jurgen Detlef Looff. He learned the art of woodcarving and immigrated to the United States, arriving in New York City on August 14, 1870. Settling on Leonard Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, he found work as a carver at a furniture factory. Working part-time as a ballroom dance instructor, Looff met and married Anna Dolle in 1874. After working in the furniture factory all day, he took scraps of wood home to his apartment and began carving them into carousel animals. Young Looff assembled his wooden horses and animals onto a circular platform and created his first merry-go-round. In 1876, he installed his ride at Vandeveer's Bathing Pavilion at West Sixth Street and Surf Avenue. This was Coney Island's first carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
.
Charles Looff opened a factory at 30 Bedford Avenue and built two more carousels, doing all the carving himself. He located one at Feltman's Beer Garden on Surf Avenue, Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, and the other at Young's Million dollar Pier at Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. Impressed with this new kind of amusement ride, Mr. Young bought it from the ecstatic carver. Looff began to hire expert carvers such as John Zalar, Marcus Charles Illions, John Mueller and Charles Carmel to help with his expanding business.
Charles and Anna produced six children: Anna (1875–1896), Helen (1877–1956), Emma (1879–1938), Charles (1881–1924), William (1883–1945), Arthur (1888–1970). All except Anna, who died at age 21, as a result of a trolley accident, would work with their father in the carousel business. When the City of New York took his property under eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
to build a city park, Looff moved his family to the Crescent Park Amusement Park
Crescent Park Amusement Park
Crescent Park Amusement Park was a bustling old-time amusement park on the shores of Narragansett Bay in Riverside, Rhode Island. The park operated for 93 years from 1886 until 1979....
, in Riverside, Rhode Island
Riverside, Rhode Island
Riverside, Rhode Island is the southern section of the city of East Providence in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Riverside's zip code is 02915 and has a population of approximately 18,000.Riverside is a suburban neighborhood for Providence...
.
Rhode Island
In 1886, Colonel George Boyden established an amusement park named Crescent Park in Riverside, Rhode Island on 50 acres (202,343 m²) overlooking the Providence RiverProvidence River
thumb|The city of Providence as seen from the Providence River at its confluence with the Narragansett BayThe Providence River is a tidal river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 8 miles...
. Boyden commissioned Charles I. D. Looff to build a large carousel at the head of a 400-foot pier that received throngs of people from the steamboats that cruised up and down the Bay. Crescent Park became known as "the Coney Island of the East" during this time. In 1895, Charles I. D. Looff built another, larger and more elaborate carousel overlooking the midway. He used this ride as a showpiece for prospective buyers to choose the types of carved horses for their machines. Looff built his workshop adjoining the carousel. Here he would produce many merry-go-rounds for amusement parks in New England and across the United States. Looff's daughter, Helen, and her husband, Charles Simmons bought the ride from Looff's widow's estate in 1930. This carousel has been restored, is still operating, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976. In 1985, the Rhode Island General Assembly proclaimed the Carousel as the "State Jewel of American Folk Art". In 1987, the United States Department of Interior, National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, designated the Carousel as a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
Charles Looff's son, Charles, worked in the shop carving saddles and chariots for his father. In 1920, young Charles purchased Crescent Park. He built many of the popular rides of the time, including the Rivers of Venice, and the Shoot the Chutes. He remodeled the huge Alhambra Ballroom by adding large roof trusses and removing the many columns, thereby opening the whole floor into one big space for ballroom dancing. Son Charles also built an excursion boat, which he named the “Miss Looff” after his sister Anna, which plied the waters of Narragansett Bay bringing customers from Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
to Crescent Park. Son Charles married Emma Simmons, the sister of Charles Simmons, who had married Helen Looff.
In 1909, Charles I. D. Looff built a beautiful carousel with 54 horses and gave it to his daughter, Emma, as a wedding present, when she married Louis Vogel. The ride was installed at Natatorium Park in Spokane, Washington.
California
Charles I. D., meanwhile, had become enchanted with the possibilities for amusement parks on the West coast and in August 1910 moved to California, leaving Helen and Charles Simmons, son Charles and Emma Looff in Riverside. Charles I. D. Looff settled in Long Beach and built a factory on West Sixth Street. He purchased property at The PikeThe Pike
The Pike became a world famous Long Beach, California amusement zone in 1902 along the shoreline south of Ocean Boulevard with several independent arcades, food stands, gift shops, a variety of rides and a grand bath house...
, an amusement area on Long Beach’s waterfront, and built a magnificent merry-go-round there. The family lived in an apartment above the ride. Son, Arthur, also operated Lite-a-line, a type of Fascination (game)
Fascination (game)
Fascination is a game commonly found in North American amusement parks, boardwalks and arcades. The game would be considered in the same family as skee ball, in that prizes are often won for playing the game...
at the Pike. In 1943, the carousel was destroyed by fire and replaced with another Looff merry-go-round.
In 1916, Looff with his son, Arthur, designed and built Looff's Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier located at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California and is a prominent, 100-year-old landmark.-Pacific Park:...
along the south-side of the city’s long, narrow, municipal pier. They constructed a large Byzantine-Moorish style "Hippodrome" building to house one of their ornate carousels, now known as the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome
Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome
The Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome is located on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. It was designed and built in 1916 by Charles I. D. Looff and his son Arthur to hold a Looff Carousel. Looff's carousel was housed at the Hippodrome until it was sold in 1939. It was replaced by a...
. The Looff‘s also erected the Blue Streak Racer wooden roller coaster
Wooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
on their new pleasure pier, along with The Whip
The Whip
The Whip is a melodrama by Henry Hamilton and Cecil Raleigh, first performed in 1909 at the Drury Lane Theatre in London. The play's original production had intricate scenery and spectacular stage effects, including a horse race and a train crash...
and the Aeroscope thrill ride.
In addition to Santa Monica and the Pike, Looff built and operated amusement parks and carousels at Ocean Park, Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...
, Venice Beach, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
(still in operation), and San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. Other merry-go-rounds were located in Oregon, Washington, Oklahoma, and Texas. Charles I. D. Looff died on July 1, 1918 in Long Beach, California. After his death, Arthur Looff continued to manage the family's West coast operation, including building the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is an oceanfront amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. Founded in 1907, it is California's oldest surviving amusement park and one of the few seaside parks on the West Coast of the United States.- Overview :...
.
The Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome
Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome
The Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome is located on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. It was designed and built in 1916 by Charles I. D. Looff and his son Arthur to hold a Looff Carousel. Looff's carousel was housed at the Hippodrome until it was sold in 1939. It was replaced by a...
and the Santa Cruz Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster were both designated National Historic Landmarks in 1987.
Looff carousels
| Year | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1876 | Vandeveer's Bathing Pavilion Carousel | Coney Island Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill.... , NY |
Name changed to Balmer's Bathing Pavilion menagerie Menagerie A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to... , no jumpers, the first of over 25 carousels at Coney Island, burned in the Dreamland Dreamland -Amusement parks:* Dreamland at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York* Dreamland * Dreamland Margate, in Kent, UK* Nara Dreamland, near Nara, Japan* Yokohama Dreamland, in Yokohama, Japan... fire of 1911 |
| 1877 | Feltman's Carousel | Feltman's Beer Garden, Coney Island Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill.... , NY |
menagerie, no jumpers, built, partially burned in the West Brighton fire of 1899, or possibly earlier because Feltman (the inventor of the hot dog) bought a second carousel from Looff in the 1890s. http://www.64nywf65.20m.com |
| 1880 | Coney Island Carousel | Coney Island Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill.... , NY |
|
| 1880 | Young's Million Dollar Pier Carousel | Young's Million Dollar Pier, Atlantic City, NJ | |
| 1884 | Roger Williams Park's Roger Williams Park Roger Williams Park, in the southern part of the city of Providence, Rhode Island, is an elaborately landscaped city park and is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is named after the founder of the city of Providence and one of the founders of the... Carousel |
Providence, RI | |
| 1886 | Half Moon Beach Carousel | Crescent, NY | |
| 1890 | Broadway Flying Horses Carousel | Coney Island Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill.... , NY |
Located at Coney Island until 1905. At Salisbury Beach, MA. from 1914-1976. Moved to Seaport Village Seaport Village Seaport Village is a shopping and dining complex adjacent to San Diego Bay in downtown San Diego, California. It houses more than 70 shops, galleries, and eateries on of waterfront property. The Village contains several freestanding buildings in an assortment of architectural styles, from... , San Diego, California San Diego, California San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round... in 1980 |
| c. 1890 | Midland Beach Carousel | Midland Beach, Staten Island, NY | operated 1890 to 1905, 3 abreast, menagerie |
| 1890 to 1897 | South Beach Carousel | Staten Island, NY | |
| 1891 | Rocky Point Amusement Park Rocky Point Amusement Park The Rocky Point Amusement Park was a highly popular amusement park on the Narragansett Bay side of Warwick, Rhode Island. It operated from the late 1840s until its close in 1995. The following year, the park filed for bankruptcy.- History :... Carousel |
Warwick, RI | |
| 1890 to 1897 | Narragansett Pier Carousel | Narragansett, RI | |
| 1895 | Lincoln Park Carousel | Dartmouth, MA | |
| 1896 | Lake Compounce Carousel | Lake Compounce Lake Compounce Lake Compounce is an amusement park located in Bristol, Connecticut, United States and a part of the neighboring town of Southington, Connecticut; the lake itself lies completely in Southington. It is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America, having operated every year... , Bristol, CT |
originally located at Savin Rock, West Haven, Connecticut, moved to present location in 1911 |
| c. 1893 | Roger Williams Park Carousel | Providence, RI | replaced in 1937 with PTC Philadelphia Toboggan Company The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world.Mack Rides of Germany dates back to 1781, but it did not start building coasters until 1921 Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B... #44 |
| 1894 | The Looff Carousel at Slater Park | Slater Memorial Park Slater Park Slater Park is the oldest and largest public park in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The park is named after Samuel Slater, a famous American industrialist who constructed America's first water-powered mill in Pawtucket. The park lies on the banks of the beautiful Ten Mile River and features the 1685... , Pawtucket, RI |
originally located at Lee Funland in New York, moved to present location in 1910; fastest Looff carousel made; listed on National Register of Historic Places |
| 1895 | Fair Park Carousel | Dallas, TX | 1958 to 1967: Pacific Ocean Park, Santa Monica, CA; 1967 to 1982: Spanaway, WA; 1982 to 1992: Willamette Center, Portland, OR; 1992 to 1997: AmeriFlora '92, Columbus, OH; 1997 to present: Media City Center Mall, Burbank, CA, told to move 2004 to Present: Seaport Village, San Diego, CA |
| 1895 | Crescent Park Carousel | Crescent Park, East Providence, RI | used by Looff as showcase for his work, all animals different; operational brass rings; Ruth & Sons organ; listed on National Register of Historic Places |
| 1898 | Canobie Lake Park Canobie Lake Park Canobie Lake Park is an amusement park located in Salem, New Hampshire, United States, about north of Boston, Massachusetts.-Description:Canobie Lake Park opened on August 23, 1902, as a trolley park for the Massachusetts Northeast Street Railway Company. The amusement park has opened every summer... Carousel |
Salem, NH | moved to present location in 1906 |
| 1909 | Sherman's Carousel | Caroga Lake, NY | Looff/Murphy carousel platform and mechanism populated with 50 metal animals by (Theel mfg.), in original 12-sided Looff carousel building w/ stained glass windows. Original hand-carved Looff animals were sold in late 1970s to private collecters. Carousel is owned privately and available only for private functions at this time. *Note: This carousel is almost identical to the one operated at Lake Compounce in CT. |
| 1889 to 1907 | Salisbury Beach Carousel | Salisbury, MA | |
| 1898 to 1907 | Rosen Heights Carousel | Fort Worth, TX | |
| 1900 | Goddard Park Carousel | Goddard Park, Warwick, RI | originally located at Lakeside Park, Syracuse, New York Syracuse, New York Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603... , moved 1908 to Rocky Point Amusement Park Rocky Point Amusement Park The Rocky Point Amusement Park was a highly popular amusement park on the Narragansett Bay side of Warwick, Rhode Island. It operated from the late 1840s until its close in 1995. The following year, the park filed for bankruptcy.- History :... , Rhode Island Rhode Island The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area... and 1930 to present location |
| 1903 | Lakeside Park Carousel | Lakeside Park Lakeside Park Lakeside Park may refer to:* Lakeside Park, Kentucky, a small city in the United States* Lakeside Park , an office complex in the capital of Slovakia* Lakeside Park, formerly Lakeside International Raceway, an Australian motor racing facility... , Port Dalhousie, Ontario Port Dalhousie, Ontario Port Dalhousie is a community in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its waterfront appeal. It is also home to the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta and is historically significant as the terminus for the first three routes of the Welland Canal.The city's most popular beach, on the... |
moved to present location in 1921 |
| 1905 | Island Park Carousel | Portsmouth, RI | survived 1938 hurricane |
| 1904 | Zeum Carousel | Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco, CA | built in 1904 for San Francisco, sent to instead Seattle's Luna Park due to 1906 earthquake, returned to Playland-At-The-Beach, San Francisco in 1914 until 1972; 1972 to 1984: In storage at Roswell, NM for restoration; 1984 to 1998: Shoreline Village, CA; 1998: Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco, CA |
| 1909 | Lakeside Carousel | International Market World, Auburndale, FL | originally located in Harvey Lake, Pennsylvania, moved to Florida in 1986 and present location in 1996 |
| 1909 | Riverfront Park Carousel Riverfront Park Carousel The Riverfront Park Carousel, also known as the Looff Carousel and the Natatorium Park Carousel is a carousel in Spokane, Washington originally built in 1909 by Charles I. D. Looff. The carousel was a gift for Looff's daughter Emma Vogel and her husband Louis Vogel, who owned Natatorium Park in... |
Riverfront Park, Spokane, WA | a wedding gift for Looff's daughter Emma Vogel and her husband Louis Vogel, who owned Natatorium Park; moved to present location in 1975; operational brass rings; Ruth & Sons organ; National Historic Landmark National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance... |
| 1909 | Whalom Park Whalom Park Whalom Park was an amusement park located on Lake Whalom in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, that operated from 1893 to 2000.Whalom Park was established in 1893 by the Fitchburg & Leominster Street Railway as a traditional, English-style park of gardens and walking paths... Carousel |
Lunenburg Lunenburg Lunenburg was the form customary in 18th-century English for Lüneburg, the city and region in Germany. It therefore occurs in several placenames in North America.-Canada:*Lunenburg, Nova Scotia*Lunenburg, Nova Scotia... , MA |
Moved to Whalom Park in 1912, Featured 2 Looff Sea Dragons, Broken up at auction April 15, 2000 |
| 1909 | Oklahoma State Fair Carousel | Oklahoma City, OK | with a figure 8 coaster |
| 1910 | Carousel of Happiness | Nederland, Colorado Nederland, Colorado The Town of Nederland is a Statutory Town established in 1885 located near the Continental Divide and Barker Meadow Reservoir in the mountains of southwest Boulder County, Colorado.... |
originally located at Saltair Park, Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197... , moved to American Fork, Utah in 1959 and sold for parts in 1986; building for Looff frame with new carved figures underway |
| c. 1910 | Dr. Floyd L. Moreland Carousel | Casino Pier, Seaside Heights, NJ | moved in 1932 from Burlington Park, New Jersey; bearings and gears by Looff, figures by Dentzel, Looff, Carmel, and Illions |
| 1911 | The Pike The Pike The Pike became a world famous Long Beach, California amusement zone in 1902 along the shoreline south of Ocean Boulevard with several independent arcades, food stands, gift shops, a variety of rides and a grand bath house... Carousel |
Long Beach, CA | burned down in 1943 |
| 1911 | Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is an oceanfront amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. Founded in 1907, it is California's oldest surviving amusement park and one of the few seaside parks on the West Coast of the United States.- Overview :... Carousel |
Santa Cruz, CA | National Historic Landmark, brass rings, still in use at original location |
| 1911 | Fantasy Fair Carousel | Fantasy Fair, Toronto, Ontario | moved to present location in 1988; Looff platform, fiberglass animals |
| c. 1911 | Lighthouse Point Park Carousel | New Haven, CT | original location unknown, moved to present location in 1916 |
| 1911 | Fraser's Million Dollar Pier Carousel | Santa Monica, CA | Burned down in September 1912 |
| 1911 | Venice Pier Carousel | Venice, CA | |
| 1911 | Heritage Museum Carousel | Heritage Museums and Gardens Heritage Museums and Gardens The Heritage Museums and Gardens , formerly the Heritage Plantation of Sandwich, is a collection of museums and gardens located at 67 Grove Street, Sandwich, Massachusetts. It includes museums of art, American history, and automobiles, with both permanent and visiting exhibits, as well as extensive... , Sandwich, MA |
original location Crescent Park,Riverside, RI, moved to Fall River, MA, then to Provincetown, MA, then to present location in 1969 |
| c. 1912 | Grand Carousel | Knoebels Knoebels Knoebels Amusement Resort is a family-owned and -operated amusement park, picnic grove and campground in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1926, the park has more than 57 rides, free admission, two wooden roller coasters, a 1913 carousel and a haunted house dark ride that was featured on the... , Elysburg, PA |
moved to present location in 1941 from Riverview Park in Rahway, New Jersey; Looff frame, Carmel horses; operational brass rings |
| 1914 | Pan Pacific International Exposition Carousel | San Francisco, CA | |
| 1914 | RAB Amusements Carousel | Keansburg, NJ | |
| 1916 | Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica Pier The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier located at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California and is a prominent, 100-year-old landmark.-Pacific Park:... Carousel |
Santa Monica, CA | replaced in 1947 with PTC #62; Looff Hippodrome carousel building is a National Historic Landmark |
| 1925 | Redondo Beach Carousel | Redondo Beach, CA | |
| 1926 | Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round | Griffith Park Griffith Park Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America... , Los Angeles, CA |
Spillman/Looff mix |
| 1928 | Van Andel Museum Carousel | Grand Rapids, MI | original location Lakewood Park, Barnesville, PA, moved to present location in 1982 |