Carousel, Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, Minnesota, August 2007, photo © 2007 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
Carousels have a rich history at the Minnesota State Fair. I snapped this as we were leaving the Fair grounds Friday night. I receive a great deal of joy from the vibrant color, gritty glitz, and gauzy glamour of the night lights and carnival atmosphere of walking the Fair after dark.
The daylight was fun, too, but it was hot, dusty, and humid. When night cooled the air, the antique buildings creaked with relief from the heat, the moon rose over the Grandstand, and the 300 plus acres were electric with energy. That was my favorite time to prowl.
The original Minnesota State Fair carousel was called Cafesjian’s Carousel. In 1914, Austin McFadden paid the Philadelphia Toboggan Company $8,500 to build it, transport it to St. Paul, and assemble it on the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair, where it ran for 74 years. You can read what happened next when a St. Paul couple decided to fight the good fight to preserve its history and heritage at Our Fair Carousel.
As for the carousel pictured in this photograph, I was not able to find any history from my brief research tonight. Maybe my friend that works at the Fair will be able to shed some light.
I remember riding the carousels as a child when I visited amusement parks with my parents. I always felt like I was tall and powerful, sitting atop a jumper. The standers bored me, even as a kid. I wanted to be moving, moving, moving.
Here’s a writing topic – do a 10 minute writing practice about your memories of carousels, or merry-go-rounds as we called them in my family. You can learn more about carousels at the Merry-Go-Round Museum. Write everything you know about carousels – Go!
-posted on red Ravine, Sunday, September 2nd, 2007
-related to posts: MN State Fair On-A-Stick and MN State Fair On-A-Stick II – Video & Stats
The lights on the merry-go-round invite me to take a spin. wonderful photo.
I’m with you, the horses that go up and down are always the most fun!
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Yes, I don’t know how kids get any joy out of the ones that stand still! I was reading in the link on carousels that there are three different kinds of carvings on carousels. Very interesting. I had no idea. And there are carousels with only horses and then menagerie carousels with different kinds of animals. It’s amazing what you learn about things when you research. I’m naturally curious. I guess it’s a good trait when you have a blog. 8)
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This is a great shot, QM. I like how you can see a lot of detail in spite of it being a night shot. And I’m glad you turned it into a writing practice prompt, too. I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about my “merry-go-round” memories (that’s what we called them, too), which makes the prompt all that more interesting to me.
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[…] Merry-go-rounds. One of the slower, more pleasant rides on the midway. Just like life, I tell you, they seem so mild they’re almost boring. While you’re on them you see almost everyone out on the hot pavement watching you. You see them smiling, mouth open, waving as you come around. Or stuck in thought, staring at the Ferris Wheel or nothing in particular. And before you know it, your turn is coming to an end, slowing down so much that you can feel what a dizzying experience it’s been after all. -from suggested Writing Practice in Nightshot – Carousel […]
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Phenomenal shot. How did you manage it?
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Holding my breath, standing very still. It was a handheld shot, near the time we left the Fair that night. I realy like night photography, using available light. I think I like the contrasts that happen with the lights and shadows. Thanks for your comment, Steve.
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