{"id":246,"date":"2010-09-16T22:31:41","date_gmt":"2010-09-17T04:31:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project"},"modified":"2026-02-20T18:05:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T01:05:38","slug":"european-carousel","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/attractions\/european-carousel\/","title":{"rendered":"European Carousel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
1964 ad detail.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Opened: 11 Apr 1964
Closed: 1983
Location: Mother Gooseland<\/a>
Manufactured By: Wilhelm Hennecke – Uelzen, Germany
Ride Model: Auto Carousel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Newly installed European Carousel at Lagoon in April 1964. Photo courtesy of Deseret News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This little ride, imported from Europe, featured different forms of motor transportation in place of horses and animals. It was much smaller than the Carousel. Some of the miniature vehicles on the ride included such things as a streetcar, fire engine, sports cars, motorcycles and scooters. In later years, some vehicles were replaced with horse-drawn buggies and zebra print safari Jeeps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Streetcar on the European Carousel. Photo courtesy of Deseret News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
A row of motorcycles behind the streetcar. In the background you can see a fireman on top of the fire engine’s ladder. Photo courtesy of Deseret News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This ride model was manufactured in Germany from the 1930s to the ’50s. In the beginning, at least, the vehicles were made of wood with leather seating. It’s possible that later models like Lagoon’s were made with more contemporary materials like aluminum or fiberglass. The canopy structure was made of wood and featured animals in athletic scenes painted around the rim. Carved wooden figures playing musical instruments sat in the center of the ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"European
European Carousel, 1973. Photo: Laura Moncur, Starling Travel<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The European Carousel lasted about two decades in Mother Gooseland, but didn’t survive heavy snowfall during the 1983-84 off-season. According to Peter Freed in a Deseret News<\/em> article, “The snow crushed the roof…The ride was ruined beyond repair. It was quite an old ride. They don’t make it anymore, so we were forced to buy a brand new ride called the Red Baron.” The Red Baron opened in its place in 1984 and has been operating there ever since. Whether or not any parts of the ride were salvaged is unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n