:: BerDerp™ ::

Charles Looff was one of the original and most foreward thinking carousel engineers of his time. He built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. Over the course of a 40 yr span of constructing carousels, he built more than 70 of them; his sons even took up the family business expanding into roller coaster and ferris wheel development

Having been born originally in Denmark, learning woodcarving, and then migrating to the United States, he worked on East Coast projects awhile before focusing on California opportunities. The images you see below are from the local Zeum Carousel that was built in 1904.

What is interesting about this carousel is that it took a few relocations after disasters before it finally called SF its resting place. After the 1906 earthquake here in the Bay, it was sent to Seattle to Luna Park for about 7 years after which a fire prompted it’s return to SF’s Playland at the Beach. After spending some additional time under restoration in New Mexico, it then relocated to Shoreline Village for a number of years before finally being transported back to SF.

All of the carousels were handcarved and what makes this particular carousel unique is that it is the last one that has an intact collection of animals. All the 65 horses featured here have real horse hair for the tail.

Take a spin for $1.50