Tucked away near the Griffith Park Ranger Station, past local tennis courts and the remnants of the park’s original zoo, sits a landmark that has spent most of its recent years behind locked gates. The Griffith Park merry-go-round, a century-old attraction featuring 66 intricately carved wooden horses, remains motionless today. Having operated only briefly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the site is now under city ownership following a $1 million acquisition last year. Which turned 100 this year, stands motionless, many of its 66 wooden horses weathered and caught mid-ascent, the Griffith Park merry-go-round. Save for a brief but limited run in 2022, the Griffith Park carousel is now under city control, purchased last year for $1 million, shuttered since the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to honor it and make it run again.
A dedicated team of volunteers, including several professionals from the theme park industry, is now spearheading a multi-year restoration effort to return the carousel to service. Supporters describe the ride as more than just a historical relic; they view it as a vital piece of Los Angeles heritage that fosters multigenerational connections and highlights the beauty of classical craftsmanship. And me and my three sisters came here and rode the carousel, everyone came to my one-bedroom apartment in Los Feliz.
Tracy James, a representative from the Department of Recreation and Parks, describes the attraction as the city’s crown jewel. She notes that the detailed ornamentation and construction reflect a bygone era of artistry. There was significant public concern that the carousel might be sold to a private collector, as the site holds deep symbolic value for the community. The carousel is historically significant as a place where Walt Disney is said to have conceived his vision for Disneyland, and it has served as a venue for numerous historical events throughout the decades. According to a piece of whimsy, artistry and play in the middle of a natural wonderland, it is where Walt Disney is, To have dreamed up the vision for what would become the Disneyland Resort and a site that has withstood Civil Ri. Argues Tracy James, who is leading the efforts to restore the project, one that’s expected to take at least two years and cost millions, that’s a veritable bargain for such a museum piece.
Local residents remember the carousel fondly. Wendy Osmundson, who visited during a recent open house, recalled a difficult time years ago when the attraction provided a much-needed sanctuary for her family during a personal crisis. The opportunity to witness the ride’s restoration has garnered widespread community support from those who remember it as a center for affordable outdoor recreation. “I was 21, and my mom’s kitchen burned down,” Osmundson says. “We couldn’t have Christmas at my mom’s house. For Leverton, restoring the carousel is important in bringing a piece of history back to the city, one centered on affordable outdoor entertainment. “I brought my nieces here 10-plus years ago, and rode it and it was rea.
The technical restoration is being managed by volunteers like Kurt Sawitskas, a specialist at Walt Disney Imagineering. Working on his own time, Sawitskas has been analyzing the carousel’s mechanical systems. He marvels that the structure has survived for a century, noting that it was never intended to last this long. He is joined by colleagues Troy Leverton and Pim Renting, both of whom have experience in ride engineering, to assist with the complex task of bringing the horses and machinery back to life. To some, it’s a beacon of hope in the midst of an imperfect urban fabric that has long prioritised the fantastical. Marveling at its antique nature, but also being amazed that it’s still mostly intact, kurt Sawitskas has already spent weeks analysing the carousel’s innards. The creative arm of the company responsible for theme park design, sawitskas’ day job is at Walt Disney Imagineering. According to beginning to think ahead toward retirement, Sawitskas, He was looking for a project in which he could volunteer his time and expertise.
Constructed in 1926, the merry-go-round originally operated in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles in 1937 during the Great Depression. Manufactured by the Spillman Engineering Co., the figures are noted for their artistic detail, including flowing manes and elaborate secondary carvings. Some horses feature lion heads or cherubs, with tails crafted from real horsehair. The collection also includes rare pieces by master carvers Charles Looff and Charles Carmel, which distinguishes the ride from mass-produced, post-Depression era carousels that often relied on cheaper materials like aluminum. Whose carousel horses were known for the flowing, wind-blown manes and heavily detailed secondary carvings on the portion of their bodies that face viewers, known as the “romance” side, it is the showcase product of the Spillman Engineering Co. Many of which have been eaten by squirrels or other critters, all are adorned with jewels and tails made of real horse hair.
Sawitskas emphasizes that the restoration requires a deep appreciation for the original aesthetics, such as the thick paint layers and intricate saddle patterns that give the figures their unique character. By preserving these elements, the team hopes to ensure that future generations can once again experience the joy of the attraction. For volunteers like Leverton, the mission is personal; he aims to restore the ride so he can share the same experience with his own daughter that he once shared with his nieces. Fall and spin around a spherical base has begun, but the effort to ensure that they once again rise. Emphasising how the thickness of the paint created a sense of depth in the figures — a saddle, for instance, of a crisscrossing chessboard-like pattern, or elsewhere, he mentions this as he’s giving a tour of the horses.
