Carousel and Wurlitzer 157 band organ at Kings Island

The Grand Carousel was originally purchased by Cincinnati’s Coney Island in 1926 for $201,000 from the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in Philadelphia. It is one of 89 carousels built by the company from 1904 to 1934, and one of the last. During the 1937 flood of the Ohio River, some of the horses were swept down the river from Coney Island. A reward was offered for them, or pieces of them, and parts were returned from as far away as Memphis. In 1968, the carousel was completely restored. It took one man seven months to hand paint the horses. The horses have been restored several times since then. Originally labelled No. 79, the Grand Carousel was one of the first rides brought to Kings Island for its opening in 1972. The ride is a three-abreast carousel, with 48 hand-carved horses and two chariots. The horses and chariots are made of wood. The outside row of horses is stationary, and there are two rows of jumpers that move up and down. Music is provided by a Wurlitzer model 157 military band organ. The songs are “I Never See Maggie Alone”, ”Clara” “ I Went To Your Wedding” and “Golden Plume March”.