Meridian, Mississippi Around Town Carousels Abound Brochure

M eridian’s Dentzel Carousel is truly a national treasure. The carousel is the only two-row stationary Dentzel menagerie carousel in the world today. Its crown features several original museum-quality oil paintings, and all of its animals are original as well, meticulously hand-carved from bass and poplar wood. And the house is the only remaining original carousel building based on a Dentzel blueprint. The carousel has a rich history. Gustav Dentzel, from one of the world’s foremost families of carousel makers, built it in the 1890s in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Originally designed for the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, the carousel was acquired by the City of Meridian soon after. In 1909 the Dentzel Carousel arrived in Meridian. It has occupied its home in Highland Park ever since. Originally purchased by Meridian for only $2,000, today it’s valued at more than $1 million. And, as residents and tourists will say, the experience of riding on this historic gem is priceless. The Historic Dentzel Carousel