For more than 80 years, the Jantzen Beach Carousel delighted riders on Portland, Oregon’s Hayden Island, whirling them around on its colorful hand-carved horses. Countless Oregonians have fond memories of the carousel before it disappeared in 2012. It wasn’t until this year that the carousel resurfaced with a bright future, steering its reins into The Dalles, Oregon.
The History of the Carousel
The iconic carousel had been a part of Hayden Island since 1928, but its history stretches back even further. Built in 1921 by Charles Wallace Parker—nicknamed America’s amusement king for his involvement in the amusement business—the ride was designed for a pier in Venice, California. The carousel was a mechanical marvel at the time, measuring 67 feet in diameter and boasting four rows of horses.
After the original owner of the carousel, J.A. Ellis, went bankrupt in 1924, the carousel was repossessed and sold for $28,000 to Hayden Island Inc., a development company. The carousel was dismantled and moved nearly 1,000 miles north to become a featured ride at Jantzen Beach Amusement Park in Portland.
It remained at the amusement park for 41 years until the park’s closure in 1970. Jantzen Beach SuperCenter was subsequently built, and the carousel was the only surviving remnant of the closed amusement park. It continued whirling riders around the mall for another 30 years.
In 2012, the carousel took its last spin before the supercenter was demolished. The carousel was dismantled and put into storage—its fate left a mystery. Restore Oregon—a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Oregon’s historical and cultural places—added the carousel to the list of Oregon’s Most Endangered Places.
The carousel did not reappear until 2017. When Kimco Realty Corp., a New York real estate investment firm, bought the Jantzen Beach Center for $131.8 million, the carousel was donated to Restore Oregon by the former owner, Edens Development, an East Coast-based large retail developer. Soon after, Restore Oregon launched a campaign to “Re-TURN the Jantzen Beach Carousel.” Seeking support from the community, Restore Oregon led the charge to give the carousel a new life.
Restoration Plans at The National Neon Sign Museum
While Restore Oregon began its search to find the carousel a new home, David and Kirsten Benko—founders of The National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles—caught wind of the ambitious project and threw their hats into the ring.
“We were both very excited about the project,” Kirsten says. “We just knew that this was a super amazing opportunity to do something cool in The Dalles.”
The National Neon Sign Museum has lit up the town’s historic downtown business district since 2019. It highlights the history and artistry of neon signage in America starting in the 1800s.
In September, the museum announced it was chosen to continue the restoration efforts and house the completed carousel. A fitting addition to the brightly hued and vintage-inspired museum, the carousel will be in a pavilion next door.
David and Kirsten have experience with restoration, having restored the historic Elks building and numerous vintage signs. They hope to engage the community in the Columbia River Gorge for the carousel’s restoration, turning it into a collaborative project. The first phase of restoration invites artists and craftspeople to join the project and restore some of the 82 horses that make up the herd. The search for contributors is open to people of any skill level. Visit jantzenbeachcarousel.org to learn more.
“This idea that we’re bringing this new light—this new attraction to the community—is exciting for a lot of people,” says Simon Benko, a member of the carousel advisory committee at the museum. “I think it brings the community together.”
According to David and Kirsten, with the community-centered approach, The Dalles will become a large part of the carousel’s new life and identity. In return, the carousel will bring a showstopping attraction to The Dalles that will become a part of its history.