Coney Island - Historic Carousel List

The material is copyrighted © 1998 by Jeffrey Stanton.

Revised August 27, 1997

The following list of carousels covers just the more noted, and of course, documented carousels of Coney Island. Many are missing! For example the city of Gravesend licensed 14 carousels in 1885, and Weinstein in his doctoral thesis stated that by 1899 between $75,000 and $100,000 had been invested in carousels at Coney. He estimated that at an average cost of $5000 per, that there were at least 15 in operation that year. A 1938 article in Fortune magazine says that 13 carousels were in operation that year. Therefore my list of only 25 carousels leaves numerous missing carousels for researchers to unearth.

1.) Balmer's Carousel
  • Location - Balmer's Bathing Pavilion - foot of Ocean Parkway
  • Builder / Carver - Charles Looff
  • Years Operated - 1875 - 1911
  • Type - Horses stationary - Menagerie machine
Coney Island's first carousel was built for William Vanderveer who owned several flourishing bathhouses. The carousel burned in the Dreamland fire in 1911.

2.) [No name]
  • Location - Coney Island - location unknown
  • Builder / Carver - New York Carosal Manufacturing / Charles Dare
  • Years Operated - 1876? - 1884
  • Type - Horses stationary - 2 rows
This carousel was sold in 1884 and was moved to Martha's Vineyard. It currently operates at Oak Bluff.

3.) Feltman's Pavilion Carousel
  • Location - Surf Avenue adjacent to Feltman's Pavilion
  • Builder / Carver - Charles Looff
  • Years Operated - 1880 - 1899
  • Type - Horses Stationary - Menagerie machine
Charles Looff built a larger carousel for Feltman's Pavilion and it was installed in a cupolaed four-tiered octagonal building adjacent to the restaurant. In 1894 Feltman attempted to illuminate the outer row of horse's bodies by installing electric lighting within. It was hoped that the horse's colorful jewels would glow via holes drilled into the interior. Alas, he was ahead of his time since the feeble 16 candlepower bulbs were too dim to have much of an effect. Most of the outer row of horses burned during the West Brighton fire of 1899. It is possible that the carousel may have burned even earlier since a second Looff carousel was sold to Feltman in the 1890's.

Feltman's first carousel was carved by Charles Looff.


4.) [No Name]
  • Location - Coney Island - location unknown
  • Builder / Carver - Bungarz Stemam Wagon & Carrousele Works
  • Years Operated - 1884 - ???
  • Type - Rocking horses - 2 rows
5.) [No name]
  • Location - Feltman's
  • Builder - ???
  • Years Operated - 1885 - ???
  • Type - Double decker
Feltman purchased a double-decked "Greco - Roman" carousel in May 1885 and a $5000 organ. (see Kings County Rural & Brighton Gazette - May 23, 1885; and Brooklyn Union - June 18, 1885 for description - if one can find the newspapers at a New York area historical society.) Feltman claimed that "one of his carousels earns $500 / day ... pays better than the railroads and hotels."

Note: Feltman also bought an unknown carousel in 1892 - his third at his complex of restaurants.

6.) [No Name]
  • Location - Coney Island - location unknown
  • Builder / Carver - Charles Looff
  • Years Operated - 1890 - 1905
  • Type - Stationary horses - 3 rows - menagerie machine
7.) [No Name]
  • Location - ????? then moved to Dreamland in 1904
  • Builder / Carver - Fredrick Savage
  • Years Operated - ???? - 1911
  • Type - Roundabout with jumping horses
The carousel was imported to Coney Island by F.E. Bostock. It featured a jumping horse suspension and was unique for its time. It rotated clockwise. It was moved to Dreamland in 1904 and perished in the park's 1911 fire.

8.) Dreamland Park Carousel
  • Location - Dreamland
  • Builder / Carver - Charles Carmel
  • Years Operated - ???? - 1911
  • Type -
Carver had his own carousel at Dreamland. It burned in the 1911 fire. NOTE: I may be confusing this with the other Dreamland carousel as far as location. Maps show a carousel at the seaward end of the west promenade near the pier plus two other carousels adjacent to Dreamland along the Iron Walk that burned, too. One was owned by Johnson and was on Surf Avenue next to the Pike's Peak Scenic Railway.

9.) Steeplechase Park Carousel
  • Location - Steeplechase Park
  • Builder / Carver - New York Carosal Manufacturing Co.
  • Years Operated - 1897 -
  • Type -
The company supplied Tilyou with this carousel for the opening of his new park. They also carved the horses for the Steeplechase ride.

10.) Chanticleer
  • Location - Steeplechase lawn
  • Builder / Carver - Frederick Savage
  • Years Operated - 1907 - ??? (at Luna Park)
  • Years Operated - 1910-1964 (at Steeplechase)
  • Type - Chanticleer roundabout
This imported carousel from Europe was mounted entirely with two-seated roosters. It was previously known as Wilmont's Gallopers when it was steam powered. It was bought by Harry Tudor in 1907 and installed at Luna Park near the Tickler just east of the Tower.

Note: While this carousel was in Europe it sunk in a shipwreck while being transported across the North Sea. It was salvaged in shallow water, restored and brought to America. What isn't clear is whether it was sunk before or after it was at Luna Park. By the time it arrived at Steeplechase, it was converted to electric power.

The Chanticleer's animals were roosters only.


11.) Feltman's Carousel
  • Location - Feltman's
  • Builder / Carver - Mangels / Illions
  • Years Operated - 1903 - 1964
  • Type - 3 rows of horses
The new Feltman carousel was lavish, from the sumptuous rim to the animated organ. The Illion carved horses had stately, powerful poses, and rich, bejeweled trappings gleaming with gold leaf and intense colors. These new horses were mixed with plainer Looff horses salvaged after the fire and redecorated. The Astroland owners, who were the new owners of the Feltman property, retired the ride in 1964 because it made too little money. The space was cleared for the Astrotower.

The horses from this carousel and the Stubbman machine were combined and hurriedly refurbished for the New York World's Fair in 1964. It operated at the Carousel Plaza of the Lake Amusement area. Afterwards it continued to operate in Flushing Meadows Park.

12.) Kister's Carousel
  • Location - Kister's Restaurant at 11th Street & Surf Avenue
  • Builder / Carver - Mangels / Illions
  • Years Operated - ???
  • Type - 3 rows of horses
This carousel was the fastest in Coney Island.

13.) Stubbman's Beer Garden Carousel
  • Location - Hotel Eleanor at Stubbman's Beer Garden
  • Builder / Carver - Mangels / Illions
  • Years Operated - 1908 - 1953 (at Stubbman's)
  • Years Operated - 1953 - 1964 (at Steeplechase Boardwalk)
  • Type -
The Illions carving style had progressed from that of the Feltman's carousel. The carvings on its handsome Louis XIV chariots were more lifelike and inventive. Unfortunately the overall effect of the carousel was less magical and didn't have the popularity of the Feltman carousel. In 1909 Illions, to celebrate his independence from Mangels, created a new line of horses. He refurbished the outer row of horses of this carousel with ones featuring explosive flying manes and powerful straining bodies.

This carousel was eventually moved to the Boardwalk at W. 16th Street to replace an Ilions machine lost in a fire. Since it was just below Steeplechase, it became known as the Steeplechase carousel.

14.) [No Name]
  • Location - Old Iron Pier Walk operated by Mangels
  • Builder / Carver - Mangels / Illions
  • Years Operated - ???? - 1911
  • Type -
Burned in the 1911 Dreamland fire.

15.) BMT Trolley Carousel
  • Location - BMT Trolley Terminal - Surf Ave & W. 5th
  • Builder / Carver - Stein & Goldstein
  • Years Operated - 1908 - 1940's
  • Type - 4 rows
The merry-go-round was acquired by New York City in 1940. The Park Department placed it in Central Park in 1951 to replace an earlier merry-go-round that burned the previous year. The carousel still operates.

16.) El Dorado
  • Location - Surf Avenue & West Fifth
  • Builder / Carver - Hugo Hasse of Leipzig Germany
  • Years Operated - 1910 - 1966
  • Type - Menagerie machine with horses & boatyard animals
This fabulous German carousel was built at a cost of $150,000 and imported by John Jurgens in 1910. He had to pay more than $30,000 in customs fees. It was installed in a pavilion with 6000 lamps and a gigantic organ. The menagerie machine contained three platforms, arranged in ascending tiers, each revolving at different speeds. Its crown-like canopy rose to a height of 42 feet. It featured horses, pigs and other barnyard animals. After Steeplechase closed it remained in storage until it was sent to Japan in 1970 for the Osaka World's Fair.

The Eldorado Carousel at Steeplechase's Pavilion of Fun. It was a menagerie machine with three separate platforms. - 1912


It was blistered almost to oblivion in the Dreamland fire one year later. But George Tilyou salvaged it and placed it within the glass enclosed Pavilion of Fun.

17.) [No Name]
  • Location - Coney Island - location unknown
  • Builder / Carver - Mangels / Carmel
  • Years Operated - 1914? - 1952
  • Type - 4 rows - menagerie machine
This merry-go-round was moved to Prospect Park, Brooklyn in 1952 where it still operates today.

18.) [No Name]
  • Location - Coney Island - location unknown
  • Builder / Carver - Carmel
  • Years Operated - ???? - 1930's
  • Type - Menagerie - 60 animals
The merry-go-round was sold in the 1930's and moved to Bogota, Columbia.

19.) [No Name]
  • Location - Ocean Parkway in Brighton Beach
  • Builder / Carver - Illions
  • Years Operated - 1920's -
  • Type -
20.) [No Name]
  • Location - Surf Avenue & 5th operated by Theodore Chafatino
  • Builder / Carver - Illions
  • Years Operated - 1920's
  • Type - 4 rows of horses
21.) Luna Park Carousel
  • Location - Luna Park
  • Builder / Carver - PTC
  • Years Operated 1924 - 1944
  • Type - 3 abreast
The carousel burned in the 1944 fire.

22.) Prospect Hotel Carousel
  • Location - Prospect Hotel
  • Builder / Carver - Illions
  • Years Operated - 1927
  • Type - 4 abreast "Supreme"
Illions moved this carousel to Celeron Amusement Park in Jamestown, New York. It was later sold to the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona, California. It was dismantled in the 1980's and the machine is in storage in Pasadena.

23.)Bob's Carousel
  • Location - Stillwell Avenue & the Bowery beneath the Bobs Coaster
  • Builder / Carver - Illions
  • Years Operated - 1926 -
  • Type - 3 abreast
This carousel was moved to Bertrand Island Amusement Park at Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey.

24.) [No Name]
  • Location - Surf Avenue between 15th & 16th across from Steeplechase
  • Builder / Carver - Illions
  • Years Operated - 1927 - 1968
  • Type - 3 rows
This carousel was originally sent to Long Beach, Long Island. The owner went bankrupt and it was sold at auction. It was returned to Coney Island. It was operated by McCullough, who in later years moved it to a niche just east of the subway terminal. Increasing vandalism to the open-air machine forced McCullough to dismantle it after the 1968 season.

25.) B & B Merry-go-round
  • Location - Surf Avenue near W. 10th Street - B & B merry-go-round
  • Builder / Carver - Murphy & Nunnally / George Carmel
  • Years Operated - 1932 - Present
  • Type - 3 rows
This carousel is the last surviving carousel at Coney Island.



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