Bay Area Carousel Spins Again
By Kate Nickel | Online Only | Nov. 6, 2008
Berkeley's 1911 Tilden Park Carousel won a grant from Partners in Preservation, a joint venure between American Express, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the World Monuments Fund.
Credit: Melita Juresa-McDonald
On Oct. 4, delighted squeals finally replaced the steady clanking of a six-month-long renovation of the 1911 Tilden Park Carousel in Berkeley, Calif. Free rides, ice cream, and cookies were all part of the celebration, which included a rededication ceremony open to the public.
Last spring, park officials, concerned by the National Register-listed carousel's deteriorating conditions, shut down the ride. During the $700,000 project, workers replaced the wood floor and platform, repaired the massive Tonawanda Organ, and installed sliding wood doors that will keep out everything from curious critters to the chilly San Francisco fog.
Two years ago, online voters chose the carousel as one of 12 sites to receive a grant from Partners in Preservation, a joint venture between American Express, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the World Monuments Fund. (The East Bay Regional Parks District paid for most of the restoration.)
"The idea was to make grants that benefit local historical sites while involving the community in a fun and engaging way," says Anthony Veerkamp, senior program officer in the National Trust's Western Office in San Francisco.
The carousel has traveled quite a bit since the Herschell-Spillman Company constructed it in San Bernardino. It was moved around Southern California until it finally found its permanent home in Tilden Park in 1948.
"There are people I've seen as little children who are now grandparents, and they bring their grandchildren here," says carousel expert Dan Horenberger, who worked on the project. "It's great to see four generations of riders … a merry-go-round is something everyone can always enjoy."
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