Less Than 30 Minutes From Center City Lockport...
There seems some renewed fascination in carousels lately, possibly no more than just another phase of the nostalgic interest in the mid-to-early 20th Century. A group at Olcott Beach, north of Lockport, is attempting a restoration project of the carousel ride in what was, back over fifty years ago, a thriving amusement park area. Carousels are not making a comeback, however. Their continuing appeal declined with the horse---an animal now barely holding its own as a race-track entity and ceremonial plaything. Carousel horses became popular when "dad" rode a horse and used horses around the farm or to haul cargo around the town. Children have replaced that interest now with motorized vehicles or models thereof. Still, once in a while, there is a thirst to go back in time. And for those in the Greater Lockport area, that desire is easy to satisfy in nearby North Tonawanda.
No, they still don't make carousels here. But this is the original Herschell Carrousel Factory at 180 Thompson Street in central North Tonawanda. The factory closed here in 1959, moving to Clinton Street in Buffalo where it hung on for another ten years. The old NT facility was purchased in 1985 by the Carousel Society of the Niagara Frontier which operates it today as a museum. It continues to undergo slow restoration.
It looks as if the carousel craftsmen had just left for the day. However, we suspect the only construction and repair actually going on here could be when Society members come in and want to work on a project for their own collection. The second floor of the old factory, where the pattern and paint shops were located is "closed to the public" awaiting restoration.
The museum is a work-in-progress and a secondary or tertiary tourist attraction for most. However, for a carousel enthusiast this is a "must visit" destination. Upon admission you're given a little flyer that instructs you as you take a self-guided tour (all on one floor). Besides the exhibits, there is a very nice gift shop where all kinds of books, souvenirs and even some rather expensive models can be purchased.
The facility is open to the public April through December on a limited basis depending on season. Admission is $4 for adults, and $3 for children under 12 and seniors. The museum receives some funding from the New York State Council on the Arts. The admission usually includes on ride on an operating 1916 carousel but the day our Lockport Pagers visited to write this review, the carousel was "out of operation." Visitors should allow about an hour for the total experience including rides and shopping. At the time of our visit hours were:
April-June, September-December: Wednesday through Sunday 11AM -
5PM
July & August: Daily, 11AM - 5PM
To confirm hours and for more information call: 716-693-1885.
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