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The 1924 Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel

Round and round and round you go...Please Touch Museum is proud to bring back a Philadelphia tradition when it opens at Memorial Hall in the fall of 2008. Originally operating at Woodside Park–a favorite Philadelphia amusement park located less than 10 blocks from Memorial Hall–the carousel was built in 1924 by the Dentzel Carousel Company of Philadelphia. After more than 40 years in storage, this iconic carousel returns to its hometown, bringing joy to generations in its own 9,000 square-foot glass pavilion on the East side of Memorial Hall.


About the carousel
The Dentzel Company was founded in 1870 by Gustav Dentzel, a well-known German master carver who immigrated to the United States and began his business in 1867 in Philadelphia and Atlantic City. After Gustav’s death, his son William took over the company in 1909 until it closed at his death in 1928. The company was then sold to its Philadelphia competitor, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company–still in existence today, producing primarily roller coasters.

The Dentzel Carousel that would find a home at Woodside Park was a favorite of William Dentzel and was used as a sales model. The Dentzels would take potential customers to Woodside Park to view this gem of a carousel, and would very often receive an order for a new one based on its construction and design. William Dentzel, so proud of this carousel, had his initials carved on the lead horse.

The "Philadelphia-style" carousel is a three-abreast jumper carousel with a stationary outside row of characters. It contains 52 intricatelyhand-carved, multi-colored animals and two chariots. In the shape of an octadecagon (18 side polygon), it has 16 stationary horses on the outside row. 18 beveled mirrors are attached to the outside rounding board. Each mirror is surrounded by a clown head, decorated with acanthus leaves. It contains 40 horses, four rabbits, four cats, two pigs, and two goats. Some of the animals are quite rare...a highlight is the "flirting rabbit," one of only three known to exist. The rabbit was designed and created by Italian immigrant and Dentzel carver, Salvatore Cernigliaro. The standers, or outside row horses were originally designed and carved by Daniel Muller–considered to be one of the foremost carvers of his time. One of the most intriguing and unique features are the 1,278 lights that illuminate the carousel.

Restoration of the carousel will take approximately 20 months. Please Touch is working closely with various studios across the country to return this gem of a carousel to its original grandeur. All repairs and applied colors are based on the color palette of similar Dentzel carousels from the 1920s. While the carousel is from 1924, it was common for damaged animals to go back to the Dentzel studio for repairs, and other animals replaced the damaged ones. Many of the horses and animals on the current carousel are from an older machine–possibly from the original carousel at Woodside Park or from a stash at the Dentzel Workshop on Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia.

Riding in Circles: 10 Blocks in 40 Years
After Woodside Park closed in 1955, the carousel was saved from oblivion by Frederick Fried, a carousel enthusiast, who put it in storage for several years until he briefly loaned it to the Music Circus in Lambertville, New Jersey. In 1965, the Smithsonian Institution purchased the carousel from Fried, with intent to refurbish and install it for use on the National Mall, near the Smithsonian Castle in Washington, D.C. The plan never came to fruition and for almost 40 years, the Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel remained in storage. A few of the characters were removed and placed on display at the National Museum of American History. In 2002, the Smithsonian transferred ownership of the carousel to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Their intent was to refurbish it and install it outside the State Museum in Harrisburg, PA. In 2005, the Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel came home, and is now on long-term loan to Please Touch Museum from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.