Dentzel Carousel playing Edward Taylor Paulls Ben Hur Chariot Race

The Dentzel Carousel at the old Glen Echo Amusement Park in Glen Echo Maryland. Built in 1921 it was in full action until the park closed in the 60's. The Carousel was refurbished over some years starting in the mid 80s and is going today, Edward Taylor Paull, a native of West Virginia wrote the tune in the 1890s soon after the novel Ben Hur was published by General Lew Wallace.
The music is played on a Wurlitzer band organ installed in 1926. It used a perforated paper roll like a player piano. There are only 11 of these band organs known to exist now.
I remember riding this carousel it in the 50s and early 60s..
does anyone remember the laughing fat lady???
Do visit it if you can. It is a true piece of living history and art.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Glen Echo
• Glen Echo Park
• Dentzel Carousel
• Carousel

[Moonscreamy]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that my Glen Echo photos (the pre-restoration ones) which were on my webpage for several years (and pointed to by the official Glen Echo website) would show up on YouTube...BUT BUT BUT you made a BIG mistake in including photos of the carousel that operated on the Smithsonian Mall in the 90's at the 2:29 mark and the 2:34 mark.

Just thought you should know there're no green horses or zebras on the GE Carousel! XD

[daeusto]

@Moonscreamy Thanks for the correction. I apologize for using your pictures. I grew up in the 50s in Bethesda and visited Glen Echo often before we moved.

I will be visiting the Carousel this summer and perhaps I should redo the entire thing.

I attended Bethesda Elementary School and spent many an after school hours at Emmy Lou's. I have not been able to find pictures of either.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. Would you rather i delete the video?

[Moonscreamy]

@daeusto No, I don't want you to delete it, but you should note in the description which of the pictures are of the Smithsonian carousel instead of the GE.

I wish I could visit it again, but I'm in the OTHER Washington now.

[Wurlitzer157]

@carouselgal

Nope... It's not playing thanks to Cedar Fair - Greg Scheld and Dick Kinzel.

I don't even think Paragon ever plays their organ - even though it works fine.

[carouselgal]

@Wurlitzer157 The band organ at Kings Island is not in operation? Do they use recorded music? I was at Paragon carousel in Hull Ma this summer and was sad to see the newly restored band organ was not operating. Recorded music was being played. A carousel ride is not complete without a real band organ playing!

[Wurlitzer157]

@carouselgal

They organ you heard in the Brady Bunch was a Wurlitzer model 157 - which is at the park - not operating... God I hate Cedar Fair... This is a Wurlitzer model 165

[carouselgal]

This song was played on Brady Bunch episode at Kings Island. I still remember it! Now I know the name of the song. Beautiful carousel! Up where I am in New England we got quite a collection of antique carousels :-)

[qweneviere]

wow thanks for the glimpse into the past!! What a beautiful and intricate Carousel and the Chariot race ties it all together!! I wonder if there are any photos of folks from long ago on the carousel you could add to the video (other than the last one, i mean!!)

[anglerfly]

WurliTzer 165