C.W. Parker Carousel Museum facts for kids
Welcome to the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum! It's also known as the Leavenworth Carousel Museum. This special place is in Leavenworth, Kansas. It's part of several museums supported by the Leavenworth Historical Museum Association. The museum first opened its doors in 2005.
Inside, you'll find amazing carousels that are very old and important. They are even listed as historical treasures! The museum also has cool musical instruments. These include a C.W. Parker cylinder piano, an Artizan A-X-1 band organ, and a Wurlitzer 153 Band Organ. You can also see many carousel horses that have been carefully fixed or recreated.
The museum is named after Charles Wallace Parker, or C. W. Parker. He built his very first "Carry-Us-All" amusement ride in 1898. This ride was a huge hit! His company grew so fast that it moved from Abilene, Kansas to Leavenworth. The Carousel Museum is a non-profit place. It runs thanks to donations from the community and the hard work of volunteers.
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Discover Amazing Carousels
The C.W. Parker Carousel Museum is home to some truly unique carousels. Each one has its own special story. Let's explore the different rides you can find here!
The 1913 Carousel: A Classic Ride
The most famous attraction at the museum is this 1913 "Carry-Us-All" carousel. It's named after its original builder, C.W. Parker. This particular carousel was the 118th one he ever made! It's still working perfectly today. The carousel has 31 special, hand-carved wooden figures. These include two bunnies, four ponies, a sleigh ride, and even a "lovers nest" tea cup.
When the museum got this carousel, it needed a lot of work. Thousands of hours were spent restoring it. This made sure it was safe for everyone to ride. Visitors of all ages can enjoy this historic ride. It even moves faster than many modern carousels!
The Liberty Carousel: Portable Fun
The Liberty Carousel was built in the 1950s. It was made by Paul Parker, who was C.W. Parker's son. This carousel has 20 aluminum horses and two benches. It can hold up to 24 people. Even though it's smaller than the 1913 carousel, it's very special. It's made of lightweight aluminum and has wheels. This means it can be moved easily! You'll find this portable carousel in its own room at the museum.
The Primitive Carousel: A Glimpse into the Past
The exact age of the Primitive Carousel isn't known. Experts believe it was built around 1850 to 1860. The person who built it is also a mystery. When this carousel was used long ago, two men had to turn it by hand! The horses on this carousel are made from several pieces of wood. They are much simpler than the fancy horses on the 1913 carousel.
Museum volunteers can show you how this old carousel worked. However, it's too old and fragile to be ridden today. This carousel has 12 pairs of horses and two benches. All of them hang down from the top frame.
Historic Musical Instruments
The museum also features some fascinating musical instruments that once brought joy to carousel riders.
- C.W. Parker Cylinder Piano - This piano was built around 1900. You play it by turning a hand crank. It can play ten different songs! At first glance, it looks like a small upright piano.
- Artizan Style X-A-1 Band Organ - This type of organ was often played alongside carousels at amusement parks. Today, this special organ provides music for the 1913 carousel when it's running.
Museum's History and Location
The C.W. Parker Carousel Museum is supported by the Leavenworth Historical Museum Association. It has even been called "One of the Eight Wonders of Kansas" by some! The museum is located on the east side of downtown Leavenworth, Kansas. The beautiful Missouri River is just to the east of the building. All the amazing historical items you see inside have been donated, loaned, or bought with special funds. Each piece needed a lot of work to be brought back to life.
Bringing History Back to Life: Restoration
Restoring the carousels and their parts was a huge job! Each wooden carousel horse on the working carousel needed many hours of careful work. Many of these horses were nearly 100 years old. They were originally only expected to last about five years! When they arrived at the museum, many horses had to be completely re-carved. This was because the wood had rotted.
The restoration team used the same simple tools that were used to make the horses originally. To keep the historical design, each horse has wooden dowels instead of nails. It's estimated that thousands of hours of volunteer work went into these projects.
See also
- Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum
