The Oldest Dentzel Carousel In America Is Right Here In Mississippi And It's Amazing
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published January 15, 2017
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
Long before the days of mass production, carousels were considered real works of art, and a man by the name of Gustav Dentzel was known for creating some of the most impressive in the country. Eventually, one of Dentzel’s majestic creations made its way to Meridian. Now a well-known landmark, the Dentzel Carousel is steeped in just as much history as it is beauty. Take a look:
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and named a National Historic Landmark, the Dentzel Carousel is located in Meridian’s Highland Park.
Although the historic carousel has been in operation since 1909, it was actually constructed several years earlier in 1896 for the 1904 St. Louis Exposition, making it the oldest in the country.
The nation’s only other Dentzel Carousels are both located in Indiana; however, one is not a pure Dentzel product, as it has been modified from its original design, and the other was constructed in the early 1900s.
Aside from being the country’s oldest, the carousel is also unique in another way – it’s the only remaining two-row stationary Dentzel menagerie in the entire world.
And it’s not just the carousel that’s special. The structure that houses it is the only remaining original carousel building constructed from a Dentzel blueprint.
And unlike most well-known attractions, a visit to the carousel won’t cost you an arm and a leg – it’s only $.50 to ride the carousel and $1 for a private tour.
Ready to go for a spin on Meridian’s Dentzel Carousel? Highland Park, which is home to the carousel, is located at 1802 Carousel Dr. in Meridian. Click here for more information.
