Lincoln Park Merry
Go Round The carousel was gutted by fire
several months after it was designated Historic Cultural Monument No. 153
by the City of Los Angeles in 1976.
"All photos courtesy of the Davis
Siblings Collection" ( Jan Davis Brazil, Jeanne
C. Davis, John Oliver Davis, jr. & Ross Edward Davis )
HOW THE MERRY GO ROUND BECAME TO BE... Oliver Funk Davis started
taking the merry-go-rounds to the carnivals and fairs to California in
the early 1900s. He was a master carpenter
and built the buildings to house his many carousels over the years. The building in San Diego's
Balboa Park is one of his structures (though it has been moved) and still
houses a carousel he owned at one time. *
Ross R. Davis, was also
a carousel broker. For much of his life
he owned three carousels in California: Lincoln Park and Griffith
Park in Los Angeles, and Tilden Park in Berkeley. * John Oliver Davis (not
pictured), continued the business and purchased the contents of the
Long Beach Looff factory in the
sixties when the carousel ran on the Redondo Beach Pier. * ************** The Merry Go Round was
located on the Tennis Courts parking lot on Selig Place.
Original carousel that is at Golden Gate. This building is 92 feet in diameter,
very expensive type of building.
The building in 1949 when the soda fountain was added.
Another view with the soda fountain.
***************************** More new photos
courtesy of the Davis Siblings Collection ( Jan Davis Brazil,
Jeanne C. Davis, John Oliver Davis, jr. & Ross Edward Davis )
Raising the dome - Land beneath was found to be swampy. New foundation poured and dome raised at same time. Some time between
1917 & 1924 (When soda fountain was added).
MGR building around 1924-5
LP Band organ photo dated August 26, 1924 "Stagg photographer - 1053 S. Hill St., Los Angeles"
LP Band organ around 1924
Postcard sometime after 1924
July 4, 1935
Playground '35?
Spillman 4 abreast installed about 1930 - Burned in 1976.
This is the view from my grandparents home. (Ross Ruben - Anna E.
Davis) 1915 Alta Street on 7/4/49
The park and boat house 7/4/49
Ostrich Farm Since it says "opposite Lincoln Park" it would be post 1919
The boat house 7/4/49
The Lake 7/4/49
Soda fountain mid-fifties. From L-R: Jack
Salveson (1914-1979), Kay Salveson, John O. Davis (our dad), Anna E. Davis (our grandmother), Janet
H. Davis (our mom), and Bertha (?) who worked there for years.
Soda fountain kitchen and cook, Frances Paddick. (about mid-fifties) Frances work here from the 40s to the 60s. I remember her for her "hotdog-burger". She'd split a hotdog lengthwise into thirds, then grill it and place
it on a hamburger bun which was dressed with lettuce, tomato, onions, mayonnaise. Delicious!
"Back of photo says East Lake/Lincoln Park" July 4th Celebration at the lake. 7/4/1919 Company B Engineers build a military bridge across the lake and looking towards the Merry-go-round building..
July 4th Celebration at the lake. 7/4/1919 Company B Engineers build a military bridge across the lake. See poster below about this event.
Part of poster used as a backing for a photo of a carousel R.R.
Davis sold touting the July 4th, 1919 celebration.
July 4th Celebration at the lake. 7/4/1919 Cake/Flag with Mrs. Sloan Orcutt. Must have been quite the prominent citizen back in 1919. (Cake reads 1776-1919)
July 4th celebration cake. 7/4/1919
Dignitaries7/4/1919 Far left, band leader - Mr. Gregory and (first seated lady) - Mrs. Sloan Orcutt. Concerts every Sunday.
Merry-go-round 1918 This machine is the one that is now in Golden Gate Park.
Building before dome was raised - 1914
Miniature Railway - Eastlake Park - Los Angeles, Cal 1904. "This is the Eastlake Park
Scenic Railroad that ran all over the park and over the lake. Built
and operated by master machinist John Coit and probably was a similar attraction
like the small trains in Travel Town and in Griffith Park today. The miniature
train did not last long at the park. When Abbot Kinney was in need of a
light railway system for his Venice Pier resort area in Southern California,
he contracted Coit to do the work. The popularity of the railway
at Venice and the state of the not-so-popular Eastlake Park Scenic Railway
prompted Coit to move the train to Venice around 1905."
javier
My thanks to Jeanne C.
Davis for contacting me and sharing her family photos above and a bit of
family history. As time allows for Jeanne
she will submit more photos of the merry go round.
javier 10/28/02
BUT !
I am still looking for
more photos of the merry go round from anyone. Just
let me know.
NEW 8/9/03 ! "These were taken in 1975
not long before the fire. That incident really made my heart sink.
Lot's of childhood memories;
the brass ring, the band/organ playing Sousa style marches and music. It
was loud!"
Courtesy of Ernie Mendoza
- (Paco Jenkins) CloverStreet.com
Thanks! They are beautiful!
j.a.
My Miscellaneous
Images
Matchbook Cover
Here are some old tickets.
The Griffith Park
MERRY-GO-ROUND
In the summer of 2002, I
went to Griffith Park to checkout the Merry-Go-Round.
I met and spoke with Mr.
Warren Deasy who is part owner of the merry-go-round along with Rosemary
West.
Mr. Deasy took me
to the rear end of the MGR and showed me a charred horse that came from
the Lincoln Park MGR.
The horse was charred and
it looked like a shadow.
Now some details from
the Griffith Park MGR Brochure. The Griffith Park Merry-go-Round
is the only full size machine built by Spillman Engineering still in operation. It is also only four
abreast, all jumping horse Spillman in existence.
THE HORSES The first and second
row figures are virtually interchangeable and are equally elaborate. All
four rows of horses are jeweled and hand detailed. There are a total of
68 hand carved animals with real horse hair tails.
THE CHARIOTS Some say the two hand
carved chariots depict Adam chasing Eve - quite risqué for the time
in which it was built. Chariots were popular with young lovers and were
built with them in mind offering a somewhat secluded place for a young
swain to romance his lady.
THE CEILING Another exclusive and
expensive feature of this carousel is the painted ceiling. The broken and
missing panels are the result of missteps of early day mechanics as they
groped their way along the sweeps in the gloom of the upper carousel to
lube the crank poles.
THE HISTORY The MGR was built in
1926 for the Spreckles family for use in San Diego's Mission Beach. The
pier was a victim of the depression and the carousel was moved to Balboa
Park for the Exposition. At its close, the carousel was purchased by Ross
Davis and moved to its home in Griffith Park in 1937 where it has operated
since then.
THE RESTORATION In 1984 this magnificent
machine was purchased by Rosemary West and Warren Deasy. They have begun
the enormous task of restoration, starting not only with the visible parts
of the machine, but with the mechanism itself. As the carousel must generate
the cost of its own restoration, which is estimated in excess of $400,000,
progress will be painfully slow, but the partners feel this unique treasure
must be preserved for future generations.
THE MIGHTY STINSON 165 MILITARY BAND
ORGAN Joyous music is as much
a part of a carousel as the horses themselves! The largest band organ playing
with a carousel on the West Coast.
YOUR SUPPORT... is needed, too. Come
ride. Tell all your friends about this wonderful carousel. Remember the
gift stand at the carousel when you are looking for Birthday and Holiday
gifts. Wear a Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round T-shirt.
If you would like to know
more about the carousel or help out contact: Warren R. Deasy
Office # 323-874-0303
Park # 323-665-3051
Thanks Warren for your hospitality
at the Merry-go-Round! javier
