Administered by Empire State Carousel P. O. Box 565 Islip New York 11751
Located Brookwood Hall Recreational Complex Islip New York
Date:
Begun 1984
Notes:
Save Outdoor Sculpture, New York survey, 1994.
Summary:
A hand-carved and hand-painted wooden carousel, in the process of being made, consisting of animals for riding and numerous bas-relief portrait panels and scenery panels reflecting New York State's history and culture. The main colors of the merry-go-round are blue and gold, the official colors of New York State. The animals represented are indigenous to New York. The animals include: Bucky the Beaver (the state animal), Clarissa the Sunnyvale Cow (a Holstein), Daphne the Long Island Duck, Louie the Loon, Benny the Brook Trout (the state fish), Percy the Pig, Sam the Bear, Denny the Deer Mouse and a wildcat named Willie.
The portrait panels depict famous historical figures and characters taken from folklore and literature, such as Irving Berlin, George M. Cohan, Eleanor Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, Susan B. Anthony, Walt Whitman, Captain Kidd, Rip Van Winkle and Uncle Sam. Scenery panels display majestic views of such places as Niagara Falls, New York City and the Catskill Mountains. A wind-driven band organ reproduces the sound of a full marching band and features such tunes as "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" and "Sidewalks of New York." Carved wooden songbirds, regional quilts and flying pennants, each bearing the name of one of New York State's 62 counties, have been created to accent the merry-go-round.