The Flying Horses Carousel is the oldest operating platform carousel

Carousel

A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...

 in America. It is listed as a National Historic Landmark

National Historic Landmark

A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...

.

History

This carousel, one of two similar carousels built by the Charles W. Dare Company, was built in 1876. It was moved by New York attorney F. O. Gordon from Coney Island

Coney Island

Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....

 to Oak Bluffs on the island of Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

 in 1884. It was moved again in 1889 by owner William Davis a few hundred feet down the street to Monument Square, where, to date, it remains in operation. The original carousel horses had real horsehair manes and tails, and their oxide eyes each contained a tiny hand-carved animal - traditions carried over to the current horses. Unlike most modern carousels, these horses do not go up and down. The Flying Horses Carousel was obtained by the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust in 1986.

Operation

The Carousel is in operation from Easter Sunday to Columbus day, though the schedule will sometimes vary. As of 2010, rides are $

United States dollar

The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

2.00 each, and you can buy a ticket of 10 rides for $15. If you get the brass ring (see below), you get a free ride.

The brass ring game

Riders of the Flying Horses Carousel can choose to sit on the inside or outside of the carousel. On both sides, there is a metal casing from which riders can grab small metal rings. As the carousel goes around, riders try to grab as many rings as they can with one hand; some people can grab only one at a time, but skilled riders can grab one or more on each finger. Riders then place the rings on a metal rod on top of their horse and attempt to grab more. When the ride is almost over, it is announced that a brass ring

Brass ring

A brass ring is a small grabbable ring that a dispenser presents to a carousel rider during the course of a ride. Usually there are a large number of iron rings and one brass one, or just a few. It takes some dexterity to grab a ring from the dispenser as the carousel rotates. The iron rings can be...

 will be placed into the casings (one brass ring on each side of the carousel). The person who gets the brass ring at the end of the ride gets to stay on for another free ride.

Popular culture

The Dispatch

Dispatch (band)

Dispatch is an American indie/roots band. The band consists of Brad Corrigan , Pete Francis Heimbold , and Chad Urmston ....

song "Flying Horses" refers to the rings on the ride.