BURLINGTON, N.C. — Burlington's fully restored, historic Dentzel Carousel is back open and ready to take you on a spin!
Thursday, the park hosted a ribbon cutting and a ceremonial first ride to kick off the grand re-opening of its 100-year-old carousel which is now fully renovated.
Carousel Christmas in the Park event will continue up until Saturday, Dec. 31. with all rides on the carousel free of charge.
The carousel was first installed in City Park in 1948, the hand-carved merry-go-round is much-loved by generations of Burlington residents.
15-year-old Brianna Bowden is one of a century's worth of riders.
"I remember riding the carousel when I was a lot younger and having my birthday party here," Bowden said.
When the carousel closed for renovations, she was 11. There were discussions about moving the carousel out of City Park in 2019. Bowden was one of many people who asked for it to stay.
"I remember that they were worried about it flooding and wanted to move it to downtown Burlington. I wrote a letter asking if they could just move it to higher ground in the park which they did," Bowden said.
The makeover had its own ups and downs. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the grand opening by a year. Officials said supply chain delays slowed down new construction and the renovation.
Four years after the carousel closed due to storm damage, a fresh coat of paint brings the animals to life in a brand-new carousel house. Burlington Mayor Jim Butler said the renovation helped preserve the ride for future generations.
"It's a piece of art and most pieces of art say do not touch, this one says please come ride," Butler said. "We’re very excited for everybody but citizens and visitors to get to experience that."
The price tag for the project was $6 million dollars but the value is so much more to 74-year-old Ronnie Cates.
"It is absolutely beautiful," Cates said.
He doesn't remember his first ride but history does. Cates' father was the city's recreation director when the carousel arrived in Burlington in 1948.
"I was around six months old and my momma and daddy came over one night and the lights weren't even on it and they gave me a ride on the carousel," Cates said.
That spin made him the first child in the city to ride the carousel. Through the years he came back.
"I always made a point to bring my children over here for the carousel festival and ride the carousel and let them know what their granddaddy and great-granddaddy had done," Cates said.
That legacy is starting another round. Cates's family joined him for the first ride of the reopening.
"It was great, I remember that feeling," Cates said.
His cousin's grandson became the fourth generation to ride the carousel at Thursday's opening.
"Maybe they’ll have to refurbish it again in 35 years and he can say, 'I was the first one to ride it when they refurbished it," Cates said.
There are some changes to the ride.
The city added an ADA-accessible chariot and ramp. The carousel will also be open year-round and has an event-space.
More about the Dentzel Carousel
Burlington’s historic, hand-carved Dentzel Carousel is a treasured part of the City’s history. It is work-of-art in motion that visitors experience and engage with as they hop on board for a ride.
The City of Burlington purchased the Carousel in 1948 from an amusement park in Genoa, Ohio. It was built by the famed Dentzel Carousel Company around 1910 near Philadelphia. There are only 25 Dentzel Carousels still in operation in the United States. Locations include Disneyland, the San Francisco Zoo, Six Flags over Texas, and Raleigh’s Pullen Park.
Burlington’s City manager in 1948, W.H. Carper, had a vision that the Carousel would bring great joy to the citizens of Burlington. It turned out he was correct. In 1948 when the Carousel first cranked up in City Park, there were reportedly 12,000 attendees on opening day. Rides cost 5 cents.
For a city the size of Burlington, the Carousel was considered quite a treat. Residents from surrounding communities came to ride the Carousel and it soon became a regional draw.
While City Park was once on the western edge of Burlington, the city’s boundaries have expanded. Now, the Carousel sits in pretty much the geographic center (or heart) of the city.
PHOTOS: Burlington's Dentzel Carousel back open
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