The Tilden Park Merry-Go-Round is a carousel located in Tilden Park near Berkeley, California. For today's Coffee Hour / Open Thread lets share our memories of Merry-Go-Rounds we have enjoyed.
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The beautiful menagerie carousel was built by the Herschell- Spillman Company of North Tonawanda, New York for Ross Davis in 1911. It’s first tour of duty was in San Bernardino County, where it operated between 1912-1916 in a Trolley Park in Urbita Springs. It then visited San Diego for a period of time, but due to unfavorable weather, was dismantled and stored until 1935. Griffith Park in Los Angeles became its next home, but after two years, a larger carousel was installed at the site, and it was once again relegated to storage. However, in 1948, it arrived in Tilden Park, in Berkeley, California, and there it found it’s permanent home. Tilden Merry-Go-Round Website
Tilden Merry-Go-Round Website
John and Janet Davis (Ross's son and Daughter in law) owned and operated the business until 1953, at which time they became partners with their cousins, Jeanette and Harry Perry, who remained in Tilden Park for thirty nine years. In 1976, circumstances threatened the continued existence of the Merry-Go-Round in Berkeley. However with much public support the “Save The Carousel”, the park district arranged to purchase the ride from the Perry family, and renegotiated a contract with them to continue managing the operation. In 1978, the Tilden Park Merry- Go- Round was added to the National Register of Historic Places. After the Perry’s retirement in 1992, the park district selected Terri Holleman and her Family as caretakers of this wonderful piece of history. Tilden Merry-Go-Round Website
This is an Open Thread / Coffee Hour and all topics of conversation are welcome.