Community Corner

'Market Conditions' Forcing Sale of Seaside Heights Carousel, Owner Says

As owners seek a buyer, local residents push back to keep historical carousel in Seaside Heights

The owners of Casino Pier in Seaside Heights say market conditions are forcing them to sell the famed carousel that includes carved wooden horses that were built as early as the 1890s.

The carousel itself was built in 1910 and has called Seaside Heights home since 1932, but after surviving years of storms, including Superstorm Sandy, and the fire that devastated the boardwalk last September, the historical ride may be going away for good.

Vincent Storino, the pier's owner, said in a statement that his company recognizes the carousel's contribution to the Seaside Heights community, "as well as the joy and excitement it has brought to the countless riders who have reveled in its magic and majesty for the better part of the century.

"Current market conditions, however, make it clear that all would be best served if this national treasure were to find a new home," the statement went on to say.

Casino Pier announced on Monday that it had retained Guernsey's, a New York City auction house that has preserved similar carousels – including the last merry-go-round at Coney Island – by brokering their sales.

But if a buyer is not found and an auction needs to take place, it would be sold part-by-part, according to Arian Ettinger, president of the auction house.

A deadline for a sale of the whole carousel in one piece has not been set, however Ettinger said an auction would likely take place sometime this coming fall.

The news of the carousel's sale – and potential dismantling – has resulted in a social media push to save it and keep it in Seaside Heights. The Seaside Heights Boardwalk Facebook group has been leading the charge, with some of its members showing up at Monday's press event to voice their desire to keep the carousel at the pier.

"This carousel was a huge beacon of light following Hurricane Sandy," said Bonnie Ensor of Lacey, who came with a friend to the pier on Monday morning. "It was one of the first rides to reopen. Especially after the burning of Funtown, when everything was so lost, everyone was looking to Casino Pier and the carousel. It was a sign of hope and a sign of light, and to take it away is not right."

Leah Emmons, another Lacey resident, said at the very least, the ride should stay in New Jersey.

"It has been through, pardon the expression, hell and high water, multiple storms and nor'easters including Hurricane Sandy," Emmons said. "We want to make sure it stays in New Jersey. We want to keep it here."

Emmons also said the carousel is one of the few rides accessible to children with disabilities, including autism because parents can ride along with their children.

"Today, with all the thrill rides being made, they can't ride them," she said.

A spokesperson for Casino Pier said the management is hopeful a buyer can be found either in New Jersey or elsewhere.

In addition to its cultural significance in Seaside Heights, the carousel also has historical significance on a much higher level. Most of the horses that make up the carousel were carved by master craftsman William Denzel of Philadelphia, while others were carved by Charles Looff of Coney Island. A few were carved by Salvatore Conigliaro, a noted carver who moved to the United States from Italy.

The carousel also includes 18 paintings atop its center casing, including 15 originals. It also contains a built-in Wurlitzer Military Band Organ built in 1923 that operates with a pneumatic system using leather bellows, while perforated music generates each note. The musical system as a whole includes snare and bass drums, cymbals, handmade wooden organ pipes and a glockenspiel with 16 bell bars.

Whoever wishes to buy the carousel will likely need deep pockets. The last Coney Island carousel to be sold and preserved fetched $1.8 million, according to a New York Times report at the time. Citing its historical significance, that carousel was purchased by the city's Economic Development Corporation.


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