Merry-go-round

July 27, 2009

You may Listen or download this story in .mp3 format. or as a .wav file

Profile America — Monday, July 27th. For generations, one of the thrills of childhood was riding on a merry-go-round, awed by the movement and the music of the band organ. While the exact origins of the merry-go-round — or carousel — are lost, William Schneider of Davenport, Iowa, is credited by some historians with inventing the device in America this month in 1871. By the early 1900s, there were some 4,000 across the U.S. Estimates vary, but most sources say fewer than 400 remain. There are only two steam-powered carousels left in the country — both fired up once a year on Labor Day weekend. Today, there are close to 600 amusement and theme parks in the U.S. — featuring rides much faster and more demanding than the merry-go-round. Profile America is beginning its 13th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources: American Speaker Calendar of Events
www.carouselnews.com
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 1191
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009edition.html