At the Albany Historic Carousel and Museum, an ornately decorated carousel sits at the center of a brightly lit room, waiting for the organ music to play and begin its promenade.
Meanwhile, downstairs in a windowless room, volunteers shape blocks of wood into carousel animals by hand – continuing work that’s been underway for more than two decades.
As the nonprofit celebrates National Carousel Day on July 25 with free rides for visitors, Executive Director Nicki Marazzani says it’s the craftsmanship behind the carousel that makes it so special.
"Most carousels that are still running were done in factories. So the fact that each one is made here on site, I mean, they're priceless, beautiful, one of a kind,” she said. “The painters, the carvers, the artists, the sponsors, they all had a part in making it and I'm in awe every day."
The project started in 2002, when Albany resident Wendy Kirbey set out to build a community gathering place centered around a carousel. It took 15 years and more than 400 volunteers to raise the money, secure property, and restore a historic carousel mechanism before the attraction opened in 2017.
“The reason why she wanted to do the carousel so much is that she wanted something that would bring the community together,” Marazzani said. “She says people thought she was crazy and that it was an outlandish idea, especially because there’s one close by in Salem.”
Salem’s Riverfront Carousel opened in 2001 and also features hand-carved wooden animals, Marazzani said: “They’re very different and we also very much support each other – we think the more carousels the better!”
In the Albany Carousel workshop, each carving begins as a block of linden wood before volunteers shape every detail by hand. Many of the volunteers had no previous carving experience.
“We have about 30 active carvers. Jack, our lead carver has trained most of them. Now some of them have been here about four years, six years, but some have been working on these for 20 years,” she said. “You can just see the craftsmanship that has just developed over such a long period of time.”
Creating a single animal can take years. Some are passed from one volunteer to another as different artists specialize in carving various intricate details before the painters spend months applying multiple coats of paint.
“The time on these is what baffles people. Like, the greyhound took four years, and it was the fastest one ever. But the two up in the painting room right now took 17 years to get carved,” she said. “So it’s not done overnight and when you see the detail on them, it’s amazing it gets done at all, honestly!”
A story for every carving
Most of the wooden animals are replicas of pets that belonged to the sponsor, and each one of them has a story.
Volunteer Dale Gray recounted the story of the carousel greyhound Neil, who was modeled after a real racing dog from Portland, before being adopted as a house pet.
“He was a racer in the Portland Greyhound races, but he lost a toe, so he couldn't race anymore,” he said. “He’s missing a toe on the carousel too, so that’s how much detail the carvers do in carving the animals with the story behind them and everything."
The ornate carvings aren’t the only work of art: The carousel itself is an original 1909 Dentzel mechanism, built by one of America’s best-known carousel manufacturers. It was donated to the Albany Carousel by the Dentzel family.
“They donated that to us about 75 percent complete with no instructions, so it took about 10 years to get it going,” said Marazzani. “We’re still using wooden teeth on the gears, and most carousels have changed to 3D printed ones or metal ones. We haven’t because we want to keep it as authentic as possible, but also it’s quieter.”
Marazzani has spent the last two years immersed in what she calls “carousel culture,” a community of enthusiasts who travel the country visiting historic carousels and conventions.
"I never thought ‘carousel’ would be on my resume. While it's probably the hardest job I've ever had, it's also the most rewarding and fun,” she said. “If I have a bad day I just go ride the carousel, I say it's the cheapest therapy ever."
For Marazzani, whether someone comes for the history, the craftsmanship, or simply a ride around the carousel, the goal remains the same as it was when construction began more than two decades ago: creating a place where the community comes together.
“It's magical and we want to keep it that way,” she said. “And so being a community gem and being a community resource and a safe place is super important to us.”
The Albany Historic Carousel and Museum will celebrate National Carousel Day on Saturday, July 25, with free rides sponsored throughout the day.
