Holyoke Merry-Go-Round facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Holyoke Merry-Go-Round
Merry-Go-Round building, a recreation of the original pavilion at Mountain Park
Holyoke Heritage State Park Status {{{status}}} Opening date 1929 (at Mtn. Park) December 7, 1993
Ride statistics
Attraction type	Carousel
Theme	Americana
Vehicle type	Horses
Vehicles	48
Rows	3
Manufacturer	Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters
Serial Number	PTC #80
Pipe Organ	Artizan C-2

The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round is a super cool, old-fashioned carousel located in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It used to be a popular ride at a place called Mountain Park. When that park closed in 1987, people in the community worked together to save this special ride. They raised money and brought it to a new home in Holyoke Heritage State Park. The merry-go-round opened there in 1993. It's one of only about 30 carousels left that were built by a company called Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters.

History of the Merry-Go-Round

In 1929, a man named Louis Pellissier ran the Holyoke Street Railway Company. He also managed Mountain Park, which was an amusement park on the side of Mount Tom. Even though it was the start of a tough economic time called the Great Depression, Pellissier worked hard to make the park even better.

How the Merry-Go-Round Arrived

Pellissier decided to buy a new roller coaster for Mountain Park. He got it from the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) in Pennsylvania. Back then, PTC often included one of their merry-go-rounds for free if a park bought a roller coaster. This is how Mountain Park got its carousel!

An armored lead horse at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round

The Philadelphia Toboggan Company hired amazing artists from Germany and Italy to carve their wooden carousels. Craftsmen like Daniel Muller, Frank Carretta, and John Zalar helped create the Mountain Park ride. By 1929, PTC mostly focused on roller coasters. But they had a special tool called a carving jig. This tool helped assistants make perfect copies of horse heads after a master carver made the first one. So, PTC had many carousel horses ready to go.

The merry-go-round for Mountain Park was probably made in 1927. It was supposed to go to a different park first, but it never shipped. So, it was sent to Pellissier instead. He needed more time to get its new home ready. He turned an old dance hall building in the park into a special house for the merry-go-round. This building was very strong and even survived two hurricanes!

The ride, known as PTC #80, was set up and ready for fun in 1929. It replaced a smaller carousel that had been at the park for years. The merry-go-round had many colorful panels and decorations. These showed everything from castles to sea battles, cowboys to cars. Most of these were likely painted by Carretta.

Meet the Carousel Horses

The ride had 48 horses on a large wooden platform. The platform was about 48 feet wide.

• The 16 horses on the outside edge were called "standers." They stayed still and were the biggest and most beautifully carved. These were the "show" horses.
• The two inner rows had smaller horses called "jumpers." These horses moved up and down as the carousel spun. They weren't as detailed as the standers.
• There were also two special benches called "chariots." These were two-tiered and perfect for families or those who preferred not to ride a horse.

The band organ at the Merry-Go-Round

Pellissier also bought a band organ with the merry-go-round. This organ was made by Artizan Factories. It played happy music using paper rolls, just like a player piano. The music could be heard all over the park! Later, the music rolls were changed to a different type.

The Collins family bought Mountain Park in 1953. The merry-go-round stayed the main attraction. A microphone was put inside the band organ. Its music was played through speakers all along the park's main path. The sound of the organ told everyone the park was open. When it stopped, it meant the park was closing for the night.

Saving the Merry-Go-Round

Mountain Park closed for good in 1987. All the rides were sold, except for the merry-go-round. John J. Collins, Jr., the park's owner, had offers of up to $1 million for the ride, even from faraway places like China. But a local leader, John Hickey, wanted to save the merry-go-round for the city of Holyoke. Collins agreed to sell it for $850,000 and gave Hickey one year to raise the money.

Sign at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round

Hickey asked Angela and Joe Wright, who were known for their charity work, to help. They organized a "last ride" day at the park. Over three thousand people came to ride the merry-go-round one last time at its original home. They each paid a dollar, showing how much the community loved the ride.

The people of Holyoke showed amazing generosity. School children raised $32,000 in just two weeks by selling cookies and candy! Local performers put on a special concert to raise money. People from all over the country sent donations. Local businesses also helped. Hickey met the deadline and bought the ride.

A local contractor named James Curran carefully took the ride apart. He stored it safely until a new building could be built. While it was in storage, a group of volunteers repainted the entire ride. John Hickey even took each horse into his own house and repainted them himself! Meanwhile, a local architect named Timothy Murphy designed the ride's new home. At first, they hoped to save the original building. But that was too expensive. So, Murphy designed a new, bigger building that looked just like the old one.

The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round building in winter

In 1993, the new building was finished at Holyoke Heritage State Park. The merry-go-round had its first ride on December 7, 1993, at a party for Holyoke Hospital. Small plaques were placed under each horse to thank the people who donated money. The special armored lead horse was dedicated to the schoolchildren of Holyoke for their amazing efforts.

The merry-go-round officially opened to the public on December 11, 1993. In its first year, over 70,000 people rode it! It continues to bring joy to kids and adults today. It's a great example of how a community can work together to save something special.

Operation Information

The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round is open for rides during different times of the year.

• During the school year (September to June), it's open on weekends, Monday holidays, and school vacations. The hours are usually from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• In the summer (July and August), it's open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

A single ride costs $2. You can also buy six rides for $10.

Images for kids

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  Holyoke Merry-Go-Round horses