Flickr/Chris Laforêt
Gustav Dentzel’s Carousel Legacy and Burlington’s 1980s Restoration
When 18-year-old Gustav Dentzel came to America in 1864, he brought more than just carousel parts from Germany. He carried a dream.
After a brief stint as a cabinet maker in Philadelphia, he went back to his roots and opened the Dentzel Carousel Company in 1867. That same year, he built America’s first permanent carousel on Smith’s Island.
His big idea? Add lions, tigers, and giraffes alongside the usual horses…