National Historic Landmark

Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel

Logansport, Cass County, Indiana
Listed
February 27, 1987
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
87000838

About this property

The Cass County Dentzel Carousel, formerly known as the Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel and also known as the Riverside Park Dentzel Carousel or Logansport Carousel, is a historic carousel in Riverside Park of Logansport, Indiana. Built by the Dentzel Carousel Company, probably by 1900, it is one of the company's oldest surviving menagerie-style carousels, with animals likely hand-carved by George Dentzel. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The carousel is now located in the playground area of Logansport's Riverside Park, in a utilitarian multisided building. It is 42 feet (13 m) in diameter, with animals arrayed three abreast on its sixteen spreading platforms. The animals depicted include deer, giraffes, a lion and a tiger, and a variety of horses. There are four two-seat chariots. The carousel includes its original mechanism for dispensing rings, in which the recipient of the brass ring is awarded a free ride. The organ and power plant (electric now, but originally steam) are of uncertain provenance, and may not be original. The exact construction date of the carousel is not known. It has been estimated to have been built c. 1900–1903, but may be older. It was apparently built for the Fort Wayne Consolidated Railway Company, which operated Robison Park, an amusement park outside Fort Wayne. The park closed in 1919, and the carousel was then moved to Logansport, where it operated in Spencer Park for many years. In 1949 it was moved to Riverside Park, and in 1972 it was purchased by the non-profit Cass County Carousel. In 1993 it underwent a complete restoration, in which its original paint job was restored. Two other existing Dentzel Carousel Company carousels are also declared National Historic Landmarks. The Highland Park Dentzel Carousel and Shelter Building survives in Mississippi and the Broad Ripple Park Carousel is in Indianapolis. Amusement rides on the National Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places listings in Cass County, Indiana Media related to Dentzel Carousel at Logansport at Wikimedia Commons

Location

Logansport, Cass County, Indiana
40.75947, -86.35558

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Jerolaman-Long House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Place, Willard B., House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Ferguson House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Kendrick-Baldwin House (Cass County Memorial Home) Additional Documentation)
Industrial
0.5 mi
Pollard-Nelson House
Industrial
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel listed on the National Register?

Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 27, 1987.

What type of historic resource is Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel?

Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel?

The period of significance for Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel?

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