Eastbayri.com

EAST PROVIDENCE — It’s been called the “crown jewel” of Rhode Island, but unless you’ve actually saddled up and ridden on one of the hand-carved wooden horses on the Crescent Park Carousel in Riverside, you’re missed a golden opportunity to take a trip back into history.

Hand-carved and built by Charles I.D. Looff in his Rhode Island shop, the carousel was completed in 1895. At the time it was the foundation of the most elaborate amusement park in New England.

According to historic documents, the “Coney Island of New England” originated in 1886 under the foresight of Charles Boyden. The shores of Riverside (then called Wannamoisett) were becoming dotted with summer cottages, bath houses and a grand hotel. Mr. Boyden opened the Crescent Park resort in 1886 around the 400-foot Bullocks Point Dock. Wishing to get people off the beaches he contacted the famous woodcarver Charles I.D. Looff, who was commissioned to build a carousel that would come to be the cornerstone of the park.

The story of Charles Looff is a fascinating one.

Born in Denmark in 1852, he immigrated to the United States in 1870 and built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876. In 1905, Mr. Looff moved his factory to Crescent Park and used this carousel as a showpiece for customers to select the horses they wanted on their rides. Most of the figures on this carousel were carved between 1905 and 1910 when he moved his factory to Long Beach, Calif. Of almost 50 carousels that Mr. Looff built between 1875 and 1918, this is one of the few remaining in operation.

When Crescent Park closed in the late 1970s, the City of East Providence kept the carousel off the auction block after being pressured by local coalitions. The restored ride continues to operate every summer and is controlled by a commission of concerned citizens who maintain statutory authority over a dynastic managerial and operational staff.

The carousel was placed on the National Register of Historic Sites and Places in 1976. In 1985, the R.I. General Assembly proclaimed it “the State Jewel of American Folk Art” and in 1987, the National Park Service designated the carousel as a National Historic Landmark.

Longtime carousel maintenance specialist and caretaker, Edward Serowik Sr., said the Looff Carousel is a virtual work of art.

“The carousel remains a glorious link to the magic of days gone by,” a proud Mr. Serowik said.

The ride’s 50-foot platform contains 61 horses, one camel and four chariots. Fifty-six of the horses are “jumpers,” all spruced up and ready to give each rider the thrill of a lifetime. Each ride lasts approximately five minutes, according to Mr. Serowik’s son, Edward, Jr., who serves as carousel manager.

Rides begin and end with the ringing of a brass fog bell manufactured by PERKO Inc. The ride’s duration is ascertained with the help of a small hourglass affixed to the snare drum cabinet of the band organ. Originally, the ride was powered by steam from the park’s steam plant, but is now operated by an electric motor.

The carousel is one of the few in America where riders can grab a brass ring to earn a free ride. After catching the rings, riders throw them into the cut-out mouth of a clown face painted on a large canvas.

“I still have my brass ring framed,” said Ann Marie Clarkson of Bristol.

Former East Providence resident Mary Prew Martin has fond memories of the carousel.

“I grew up on Crescent View Avenue in Riverside and would walk to the park nearly every day in the summer,” she said. “The carousel is one of the fastest I have ever been on. I still love riding that thing ... and used to try to catch the brass ring to get a free ride. Ah, the good-old days.”

Nicole J. Estrella of East Providence, and formerly of Bristol, said nothing beats a summer sunset and the magic created from a nostalgic ride on the Crescent Park Carousel.

“Of all the carousels in Rhode Island, it is our favorite,” she said. “Even though my kids’ arms aren’t long enough to reach out to grab for the golden ring, it’s still exciting for them to watch me try my luck at getting one for them. The carousel is a little too fast for my husband, who always waves happily from the benches. In this fast-paced world, it is nice to know that in our backyard there is still one of life’s simple pleasures.”

Riding a ‘piece of history’

Tickets are $1 per ride. “And, we sell popcorn and water, as well as other items in our gift stand,” said Ed Serowik Jr. “We try to keep the price reasonable for a family of four while giving them a chance to ride on a piece of history. We’ve been very busy so far this summer. In recent years, we’ve been averaging over 100,000 riders for the season.”

The band organ by A. Ruth and Sohn, in neo-baroque style, is carved with moving figures. Built in 1900 in Germany, it features 188 pipes, trumpets, flutes, piccolos, bass and snare drums and cymbals. The organ provides music from a Wurlitzer 165 music roll system, which replaced the original German cardboard book music system. It’s electrically driven, but its mechanics are wondrous to see in operation.

“We have a good selection of tunes including waltzes, marches and foxtrots. We even have some opera selections,” said Edward Jr.

There’s always continuous maintenance going on. Moving parts have to checked and greased and everything must be up to snuff before a rider climbs aboard. There are so many different components that you need a tour guide to take you through each step. That’s where Edward Serowik Sr. comes in. No one, past or present, knows more about the Looff Carousel than this 75-year-old East Providence resident who tends to its every need.

14-cent rides

“I started here in 1948 as a ring boy,” he recalled. “I set pins at the bowling alley in Crescent Park at the midway and worked for the daughter (Helen) of Charles Looff for five years before she passed on.”

Mr. Serowik also worked for the East Providence School Department at the high school for 30 years, in addition to tending to his part-time duties at the park.

“I remember the rides on the carousel being 14 cents a ride,” he said. “Those were the days.”

He also is in charge of the multi-faceted Carousel Museum area, which tells the whole story about Crescent Park and the people who brought it to life.

“I take pride in preserving the history of the park and carousel,” he explained. “There is so much history here.”

Edward Jr., 55, has worked at the carousel since 1970, overseeing its everyday operation.

‘This has been a labor of love for my dad and me,” he said. “We love everything about this carousel and what it means not only to the city of East Providence, but the state of Rhode Island as well.”

Obviously, there’s a lot that goes on here that most people take for granted.

“This is a tough job but we enjoy what we do,” said Edward Jr. “I know all the people who come here enjoy riding on the carousel. It’s special to them. To see the children’s faces light up when they get on one of these beautiful wood-carved horses gives you a special feeling inside.”

Throughout the season, approximately 14 young people, ages 16 to 23, are employed at the carousel, doing a variety jobs that help make the riders’ experience one they’ll never forget.

Crescent Park, during its heyday, was a special place that provided youngsters and oldsters alike an opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of a unique and storied amusement park. When the park eventually closed, folks knew it was the end of an era. The carousel, however, was preserved so this crown jewel will continue to shine for generations to come.

The Crescent Park Carousel operates from Easter Sunday through Columbus Day from noon to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.