The Allan Herschell Company
Encyclopedia
Amusement ride
Amusement rides are large mechanical devices that move people to create enjoyment. They are frequently found at amusement parks, traveling carnivals, and funfairs.-Notable types:*Afterburner*Ali Baba*Balloon Race*Booster...
s, particularly carousels and roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s. The company manufactured portable machines which could be used by traveling carnival operators. It was started in 1915 in the town of North Tonawanda, just outside Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
Previous companies
Herschell, together with James Armitage, created the Herschell Armitage Company in 1873. In 1883, his son William traveled to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to meet former Limonaire Frères
Limonaire Frères
Limonaire Frères were an amusement ride and street organ builder, based in Paris, France, during the 19th and early 20th century. In the heyday of La Belle Époque, only the other Parisian firm of Gavioli was larger....
employee Eugene de Kleist
Eugene de Kleist
Baron Frederick Joseph Eugene de Kleist , was a pioneering German organ builder, who in founding the North Tonawanda Barrel Organ Factory, started the American style of Band organs....
. Backed by Herschell Armitage, in 1888 DeKliest set up band organ production in North Tonawanda, founding the North Tonawanda Barrel Organ Factory
North Tonawanda Barrel Organ Factory
The North Tonawanda Barrel Organ Factory was a street organ organ manufacturing company and building, locted in North Tonawanda, New York. Started by expatriate German Eugene de Kleist with backing from Allan Herschell, the company was later purchased by the Wurlitzer company.-Foundations:In 1892,...
. The company produced a range of barrell-organ based products, suited for all ranges of fairground attraction.
Herschell Armitage remained in operation until the early 1900s. The company carved many portable carousels, made simple in style. Surviving steam riding galleries are located in Mississippi and Maine. In 1901, Herschell left the Herschell Armitage Company due to financial complications, thus allowing De Kliest to buy the pair out, and seek new investment from his association with Ruldoph Wurlitzer
Wurlitzer
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
.
Herschell created the Herschell Spillman Company with his in-laws, the Spillmans. Herschell Spillman started out creating and carving carousels in a traditional style, but later branching out to create larger park machines, such as elaborate carousels with many types of animals. Surviving carousels can be found in California, Michigan, and Maryland.
The company later dropped Herschell's name and was known as the Spillman Engineering Company. The company continued to make the same style of carousel, though later it focused more on horses with a few menagerie
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
styled machines. Surviving carousels can be seen in North Carolina and the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.
Fourth and final company
The last company Herschell created was his own, competing with the Spillman Engineering Company, in 1915. Herschell specialized in horses with rigid poses and portable machines, which enabled them to be packed and shipped easily between towns. Herschell produced over 3,000 carved wooden carousels, which were shipped all over the United States and Canada, as well as other countries such as MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The factory was bought in 1915 and is located on Thompson Street in North Tonawanda. It is one of the last factory complexes in the United States which contained the production of wooden carousels. The complex was expanded to meet the growing company's needs. The building contains a large carving shop, a woodworking shop, a paint shop, a storage area, an upholstery shop, a machine shop and a roundhouse where the carousels were assembled and tested.
Herschell didn't create just carousel rides, but expanded to include rides made for children and adults. He thought up the concept for rides specialized for small children, called "Kiddieland." Twister, Hurricane, Flying Bobs, and the Sky Wheel were thrill rides catered towards adults.
The company moved to Buffalo, New York, in the 1950s, and in 1970, it merged with rival amusement park company Chance Manufacturing of Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
.
The Herschell Carousel Factory Museum
The Allan Herschell Carousel Factory MuseumAllan Herschell Carousel Factory
Allan Herschell Carousel Factory is a historic carousel factory building located at North Tonawanda in Niagara County, New York. The factory complex was constructed between about 1910 and 1915 and consists of six primary structures and five contributory additions. The primary structures are: the...
, at the original factory site on Thompson Street, opened to the general public in 1983, with a full operational carousel from 1916. The first floor of the factory has been opened up to provide exhibits and demonstrations. Different programs are offered, such as woodcarving of various skill levels, guided tours, and a summer lecture series. Special programs, such as Youth Volunteer Program and Neighborhood Partners Program are offered to young people and local elementary school children.
Surviving Allan Herschell Company rides
- 1913 Herschell-Spillman Carousel, Greenfield Village at The Henry FordThe Henry FordThe Henry Ford, a National Historic Landmark, , in the Metro Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, USA, is a large indoor and outdoor history museum complex...
, Dearborn, MichiganDearborn, Michigan-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
. - Restored 1938 wooden carousel, Carnivàle Lune BleueCarnivàle Lune BleueInspired by travelling carnivals of the 1930s, Carnivàle Lune Bleue is a live entertainment event created in Ottawa, Canada by Executive Producer and Founder Wayne Van De Graaff...
, OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario - "Carousel", a 1949 Allan Herschel design, Joyland Amusement ParkJoyland Amusement Park (Wichita)Joyland Amusement Park opened in Wichita, Kansas, United States on June 12, 1949, and was in continuous operation for 55 years. The park closed in 2004 when its owners experienced financial difficulties due to declining attendance....
, Wichita, KansasWichita, KansasWichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area... - Caterpillar & various junior rides, Canobie Lake ParkCanobie Lake ParkCanobie Lake Park is an amusement park located in Salem, New Hampshire, United States, about north of Boston, Massachusetts.-Description:Canobie Lake Park opened on August 23, 1902, as a trolley park for the Massachusetts Northeast Street Railway Company. The amusement park has opened every summer...
, Salem, New HampshireSalem, New HampshireSalem is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 28,776 at the 2010 census. Salem is a marketing and distributing center north of Boston, with a major amusement attraction, Canobie Lake Park, and a large shopping mall, the Mall at Rockingham Park.- History :The... - C. Fred Johnson Park CarouselC. Fred Johnson Park CarouselC. Fred Johnson Park Carousel is a historic carousel located at Johnson City in Broome County, New York. The carousel and its pavilion were built in 1923. The carousel is housed in a wooden, two story, 18-sided, enclosed pavilion topped by a six sided cupola...
, Johnson City, New YorkJohnson City, New YorkJohnson City is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 15,535 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area.... - "Chase Palm Park Antique CarouselAllan Herschell 3-Abreast CarouselThe Allan Herschell 3-Abreast Carousel is a carousel built in 1916 by the Allan Herschell Company. It is located in Chase Palm Park, a waterfront park in Santa Barbara, California. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000....
" in Santa Barbara, CaliforniaSanta Barbara, CaliforniaSanta Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, one of three machines produced by the Allan Herschell factory circa 1915-1917. - Elaine Wilson Carousel, a restored 1918 carousel, Strong National Museum of Play, Rochester, New YorkRochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
- "G-12" 12" inch gauge miniature train
- "G-16" 16" inch gauge miniature train
- George F. Johnson Recreation Park CarouselGeorge F. Johnson Recreation Park CarouselGeorge F. Johnson Recreation Park Carousel is a historic carousel located at Binghamton in Broome County, New York. The carousel and its pavilion were built in 1925. The carousel is housed in a wooden, one story, 16-sided, pavilion topped by a cupola. The carousel has 60 horses standing four...
, Binghamton, New YorkBinghamton, New YorkBinghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers... - George W. Johnson Park CarouselGeorge W. Johnson Park CarouselGeorge W. Johnson Park Carousel is a historic carousel located at Endicott in Broome County, New York. The carousel and its pavilion were built in 1934. The carousel is housed in a wooden, one story, 16-sided, pavilion. The carousel has 36 horses standing three abreast, each of which is a...
, Endicott, New YorkEndicott, New YorkEndicott is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 13,038 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Henry B... - Great Chase (SFEG), a steel roller coaster at Elitch GardensElitch GardensElitch Gardens was a family-owned seasonal amusement park, theater, and botanic garden in the West Highland neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, United States at 38th and Tennyson streets. For more than a century Elitch's was one of the most popular entertainment destinations in Colorado...
- Helicopter at Quassy Amusement ParkQuassy Amusement ParkQuassy, which was once called Lake Quassapaug Amusement Park, was founded as an amusement park in 1908 and sits on the south shore of Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury, Connecticut, USA. On its plus, it boasts 22 rides....
- Highland Park CarouselHighland Park CarouselHighland Park Carousel, also known as En-Joie Park Carousel and Ideal Park Carousel, is a historic carousel located at Endwell in Broome County, New York. The carousel was purchased between 1920 and 1925 and moved to its present site in 1967. It was previously located in Ideal Park . The carousel...
, Endwell, New YorkEndwell, New YorkEndwell is a hamlet located in the Town of Union in Broome County, New York, United States. Its population was 11,706 at the 2000 census.Endwell is adjacent to the Village of Endicott and the Village of Johnson City... - Kiddie Boats at Quassy Amusement Park
- "Kimberly's Carousel", a restored 1917 carousel with all wooden horses, located on Delaware Avenue in Put-in-Bay, OhioPut-in-Bay, OhioPut-in-Bay is a village located on South Bass Island in Put-in-Bay Township, Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. Many believe that the name originates from some early maps of South Bass Island that showed the harbor being named Pudding Bay, probably because it was shaped like a pudding sack. The...
- Lentokonekaruselli at NokkakiviNokkakiviNokkakivi is an amusement park in Lievestuore, Finland. It is the newest amusement park in Finland, although for the time being it has only a limited number of pre-owned rides on its ride list...
park, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... - "Little Dipper", a roller coaster at Quassy Amusement Park
- Little DipperLittle Dipper (Conneaut Lake Park)The Little Dipper is a junior steel roller coaster located at Conneaut Lake Park in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania.The coaster was built by The Allan Herschell Company and began operating in the 1950s. The coaster has one three-car train...
, a junior steel roller coaster at Conneaut Lake ParkConneaut Lake ParkConneaut Lake Park is a summer amusement resort, located in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania, USA. It has long served as a regional tourist destination, and is loved by roller coaster enthusiasts for its classic Blue Streak coaster, which was recently classified as "historic" by the group American... - Little LaserLittle LaserSteel First was a steel junior roller coaster located at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania.The coaster was originally located in East Dundee, IL at Santa's Village as Snowball Express from the 1960s until 1985, and then was in storage until it was bought by...
, a steel kiddie roller coaster at Dorney Park & Wildwater KingdomDorney Park & Wildwater KingdomDorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park features nine roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom.... - Little LeaperLittle LeaperLittle Leaper is the name of a steel roller coaster located at Lakemont Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Its height is 15 feet and length is 280 feet. It has a drop of 6 feet. It has a max speed of 35 mph....
, a steel roller coaster at Lakemont ParkLakemont ParkLakemont Park, located in Altoona, Pennsylvania, houses the world's oldest-surviving roller coaster, the Leap-The-Dips. The park opened in 1894 as a trolley park and became an amusement park in the summer of 1899. It is the 8th oldest in the United States... - "The Looper", a restored vintage Looper flat ride at KnoebelsKnoebelsKnoebels Amusement Resort is a family-owned and -operated amusement park, picnic grove and campground in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1926, the park has more than 57 rides, free admission, two wooden roller coasters, a 1913 carousel and a haunted house dark ride that was featured on the...
- "Mad Mouse", a medium wild mouse roller coaster at Little A-Merrick-A
- "Mite Mouse", small wild mouse roller coaster which one the traveling carnival with Silver
- "Monster", a steel roller coaster at Quassy Amusement Park http://www.quassy.com
- "Monster Mouse", a large wild mouse roller coaster at Tinkertown Family Fun Park
- "Monster Mouse", a large wild mouse roller coaster at Puyallup FairPuyallup FairThe Puyallup Fair is the largest single attraction held annually in the state of Washington. The fair continually ranks in the top ten largest fairs in the United States...
- "Over The Jumps: The Arkansas Carousel" in Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, the only carousel in the world with a waving motion - Perkasie Carousel, a portable carousel built in 1951, Perkasie, PennsylvaniaPerkasie, PennsylvaniaPerkasie is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia. Establishments in the borough early in the twentieth century included silk mills, baseballs, brickyards, lumber mills, tile works, a stone crusher, and manufacturies of cigars, tags and labels, wire novelties, etc. The...
- "Pony Cart" - in storage at Quassy Amusement Park, Middlebury, ConnecticutMiddlebury, ConnecticutMiddlebury is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,451 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
- Recreation Park Carousel, Binghamton, New YorkBinghamton, New YorkBinghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
- Ross Park CarouselRoss Park CarouselRoss Park Carousel is a historic carousel located at Binghamton in Broome County, New York. The carousel is housed in a wooden, one story, 16-sided, pavilion topped by an eight sided cupola. The carousel has 60 horses standing four abreast, each of which is a "jumper," and two chariots...
, Binghamton, New YorkBinghamton, New YorkBinghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers... - "S-16 1865" 16" inch gauge miniature train
- "S-24 Iron Horse" 24" inch gauge miniature train
- Sky Fighter at Quassy Amusement Park
- Sky Wheel (1962) owned by [www.dixielandcarnival.com Dixieland Carnival Co.]
- Stewart ParkStewart ParkStewart Park is in Ithaca, New York. Ithaca is located on the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, the largest Finger Lake, and Stewart sits directly on that tip. The park is a popular place for barbecues, frisbee, tennis, baseball, and softball, as well as fishing and swimming on the lake. The park has a...
Carousel, Ithaca, New YorkIthaca, New YorkThe city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area... - West Endicott Park CarouselWest Endicott Park CarouselWest Endicott Park Carousel is a historic carousel located at Endicott in Broome County, New York. The carousel was purchased about 1929. The carousel is housed in a wooden, one story, 16-sided, enclosed pavilion. The carousel has 36 figures: 34 horses, one pig and one dog, each of which is a...
, Endicott, New YorkEndicott, New YorkEndicott is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 13,038 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Henry B... - Baby Boats, P. T. Boats model at Lagoon Amusement ParkLagoon Amusement ParkLagoon is an amusement park in Farmington, Utah, United States located about seventeen miles north of Salt Lake City. It is privately owned...
- Antique carousel c.1930, privately owned by Raymond Bahr, Funshine Amusements homepage
- Broadway at the BeachBroadway at the BeachBroadway at the Beach is a shopping center located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since its inception in 1996, it has grown to be one of Myrtle Beach's premier shopping destinations. Broadway at the Beach is owned and operated by Burroughs & Chapin Company, Inc...
Carousel, Myrtle Beach, South CarolinaMyrtle Beach, South CarolinaMyrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the... - Caterpillar and various kiddie rides at Idlewild and SoakZone, Ligonier, PennsylvaniaLigonier, PennsylvaniaLigonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2000 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and nearby Seven Springs Mountain Resort...
- Cactus Coaster, a steel kiddie roller coaster at Elitch GardensElitch GardensElitch Gardens was a family-owned seasonal amusement park, theater, and botanic garden in the West Highland neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, United States at 38th and Tennyson streets. For more than a century Elitch's was one of the most popular entertainment destinations in Colorado...
- "The Carousel", a 1965 36' Diameter Version at Storybook Gardens in Springbank ParkSpringbank ParkSpringbank Park is a 140-hectare park located along a stretch of the Thames River in London, Ontario, Canada. As the largest park in London, it contains of trails and is home to Storybook Gardens, a family attraction open year round.-History:...
, London, OntarioLondon, OntarioLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city... - "Mad Mouse" a set of steel kiddie roller coaster cars owned by O'Neil Amusements
- "Herschell-Spillman Carousel" at Balboa ParkBalboa Park (San Diego)Balboa Park is a urban cultural park in San Diego, California. The park is named after the Spanish maritime explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa...
, San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round... - Crandon Park Carousel, at Crandon Park, Key Biscayne, FL
- Twentieth Century Steam Riding Gallery No. 409Twentieth Century Steam Riding Gallery No. 409Twentieth Century Steam Riding Gallery No. 409, also known as Schenevus Carousel, is a historic carousel located at Schenevus in Otsego County, New York. The carousel and its pavilion were built in 1908. The carousel is housed in a wooden, 16-sided, enclosed pavilion supported in wooden poles and...
aka Schenevus Carousel, Schenevus, NY
Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department Carousel, {Leonardtown, Md. Early 1940's Herschell