Fun for the whole family!

This carousel will eventually consist of 52 total animals and, being a menagerie style unit, has a variety ranging from a seven-foot tall giraffe, dogs, cats, zebras, unicorns, dragons, and yes, even lions, tigers, and bears, (oh my!) just to name a few! The animals are situated on three rows, where the outside row (large animals) are “standers” while the middle and inside row animals (medium and small sized respectively) are “jumpers”. Each row will eventually also have two replacement animals and there are five seasonal animals planned, bringing our total to sixty-three animals. As of July of 2022, there are 41 animals on the carousel, with plans to add three more before the year is done.

We are so fortunate to have had a 1909 Dentzel Carousel Corporation mechanism donated to our project. Our initial plan was to purchase a new mechanism that would hold 32 animals. However, Bill Dentzel, great-grandson of Gustav Dentzel the founder of Dentzel Carousel Corporation, heard of our project and arranged for the antique mechanism to be donated to us. The Albany Carousel owes a great debt of gratitude to both Bill Dentzel and the National Carousel Association, the actual owner of the mechanism prior to it being donated to our project through Bill Dentzel.

This classic mechanism took over ten years to restore to working order; every wooden gear tooth, every mirror panel, every motor that turns the carousel platform, has been meticulously restored. The lead engineer on this project is a gentleman by the name of Carl Baker, who with a fine crew of volunteers has done a fantastic job in turning this truckload of “oh my word, what have we gotten ourselves into” into the marvel it is today!