1 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 1: You're listening to Part Time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 2: Guess what, Mengo, what's that? 4 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: Well? 5 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 2: So, did you know that there's a double a baseball 6 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 2: team with a name inspired by carousels? 7 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:32,879 Speaker 1: I mean I didn't, but now I'm curious. 8 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's in the title of this that this episode 9 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: is all about carousels. So I knew I was going 10 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 2: to lead with something related to that. But the team 11 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 2: used to be the Binghamton Mets, but in twenty sixteen 12 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 2: it was actually renamed the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. See Binghamton, 13 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 2: New York has given itself the prestigious title of carousel 14 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 2: Capital of the World. Shockingly, no one had claimed that, 15 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 2: and this was thanks to its six antique Merrigo rounds. 16 00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 2: I love that. You just need six to make the 17 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 2: capital of the world. 18 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: So what's the story there? 19 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,040 Speaker 2: Well, as usual, it traces back to an eccentric rich guy. 20 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: This guy George F. Johnson, who was a wealthy shoemaker 21 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 2: who lived, of course in Binghamton, and he donated not one, 22 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 2: not two, but six Merrigo rounds to local parks between 23 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 2: the years nineteen nineteen and nineteen thirty four. Now, these 24 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 2: antique hand carved carousels are actually kind of rare nowadays. 25 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 2: They're only about one hundred and fifty in the United 26 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 2: States and Canada combined, so having six of them in 27 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 2: one town is pretty special. In fact, all six are 28 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 2: on the National Register of Historic Places, and Johnson's original 29 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: condition when he donated the pieces was that writers wouldn't 30 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 2: be charged defeat, which still holds true today. So that 31 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 2: park's pretty cool. So in twenty sixteen, when the local 32 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 2: New York Mets affiliate needed a new name and a 33 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 2: new logo, a carousel horse was the perfect muse. Now, 34 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 2: even more specifically, the person who submitted the name suggestion 35 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 2: was inspired by a story written by Binghamton University professor 36 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 2: Livez Rosenberg, so her children's book The Carousel. Not surprising 37 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 2: it's called The Carousel is about horses on a merry 38 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 2: go round who sleep during winter and come alive during 39 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 2: the spring. 40 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: Oh, much like the sport of baseball. That's right, Okay, yeah, 41 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: I think I need a Binghamton Rumble Ponies hat though 42 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: I was thinking the same thing. 43 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's time for a field trip out there. But 44 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 2: before we hop on a bus to Binghamton. We have 45 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 2: eight more facts about carousels, so let's dive in. Hey, 46 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: their podcast listeners, welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will 47 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 2: Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good friend 48 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 2: Mangesh hot Ticketter and over there in the booth as 49 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 2: our PALIN producer Dylan Fagan. He's trying to see what 50 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 2: he was eating, but he's eating a stack of eggo ware. 51 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: So many egos in there, and I'm all for Dylan 52 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: starting the day off right, but that feels excessive. 53 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 2: That is a lot of egoes, But I do love 54 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 2: how Dylan always does his research. Now, egos were invented 55 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 2: by this incredible food inventor named Frank Dorsu, who basically 56 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 2: took a carousel engine and he made this rotating device. 57 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 2: So what happened is the batter would squeeze out and 58 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 2: it would move and settle and be cooked under this 59 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 2: rotating hood, all based on a carousel design. I don't 60 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 2: know why this came up with, you know that came 61 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 2: from that. But egos, just for the record, were originally 62 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 2: called froffles or frozen waffles, but the ego name was 63 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 2: just catchier. 64 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: That makes sense. 65 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: I love that so will. 66 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: One of my favorite memories is of your family coming 67 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: up to New York and hanging out with my family. Yeah, 68 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: when Henry was just I think three, maybe four, we 69 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: all wandered down to the Jans carousel in Brookenbridge Park 70 00:03:54,640 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: and your kids were just these incredible mature carousel and zus. 71 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: And I remember seeing like, like your younger kid just 72 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: like smiling and holding balloon and fist pumping and uh. 73 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: And you know, your older kid was obviously very comfortable 74 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: on it, and my son, Henry just had his eyes 75 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: closed and was screaming and had both his hands over 76 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: both the ears. 77 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 2: I think this is one of those things where when 78 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,600 Speaker 2: you were a frustrated parent, you remember the whole incident 79 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 2: a little differently. I love that you describe my kids 80 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 2: as as mature carousel enthus their natural they the whole 81 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 2: thing just so well behaved. But that's pretty that's pretty fantastic. 82 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 2: But all right, well, why don't we start at the 83 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 2: very beginning with how carousels were invented? Because I know 84 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:42,840 Speaker 2: you spent some time look into this definitely. 85 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: So there have been various types of rotating devices and rides, 86 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 1: and this is dating back to at least five hundred 87 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: CE in places all across the world, so this means 88 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 1: everywhere from the Islamic Empire, Europe, Latin America, even India. 89 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: The word carousels started to be used around the mid 90 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: seventeenth century, and it referred to a demonstration in which 91 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: men on horseback performed these synchronized maneuvers on the field. Now, 92 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: the term was likely derived from similar words in both 93 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: Spanish and Italian, which meant little war, and it referred 94 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: to a game involving rings or clay balls. But the 95 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: true direct carousel predecessor was a training tool for knights, 96 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 1: and these devices emerged in France it was about sixteen eighty. 97 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: They had a pole in the middle that could be 98 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: rotated by a person or an animal like a horse, 99 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: and knights sat on these legless wooden horses and they 100 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,040 Speaker 1: were attached to the pole, and while the carousel was 101 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: moving around, the men could practice using spears by trying 102 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: to catch metal rings. 103 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: That actually sounds kind of fun. 104 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is, as long as you were the knight 105 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: and not the person moving the point. 106 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 2: That's a fair point. I can tell you that the 107 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 2: carousels we know and love today really started taking off 108 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 2: in the eighteen sixties, when once powered by steam engines 109 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: actually came onto the scene. So before that there were 110 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 2: plenty of different versions, but they were limitted by the 111 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 2: fact that they had to be operated by people or 112 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 2: animals like you were describing now. Also, the mid nineteenth 113 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,239 Speaker 2: century was when we saw the first rideable horses moving 114 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 2: up and down as the carousel went around. So this 115 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 2: so called Golden Age of carousel took place in the 116 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 2: United States between the eighteen nineties and the nineteen twenties. Now, 117 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 2: in the wake of the Industrial Revolution, people had more 118 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 2: free time and one popular new pastime was visiting the 119 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 2: trolley park, which was a park located at the end 120 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: of a trolley line that often had a carousel. So 121 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 2: during this time the country had up to three thousand 122 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 2: hand carved and hand painted merrygo rounds in operation, and 123 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 2: the carousels were massive, very intricate compared to the ones 124 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 2: that the world had previously seen, and it became this 125 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 2: real art form. So this was also when the merrygo 126 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 2: round artisans began expanding into other members of the animal kingdom, 127 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 2: so giraffes, tigers, and this was a game changer. You 128 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 2: had goats, you had camels. I mean, the list goes 129 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: on and on, and this lures that many more kids 130 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,919 Speaker 2: to the rides. There now one fun fact from this 131 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 2: golden age. A young Dwight D. Eisenhower lived across the 132 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 2: street from a factory that made carousels in Abilene, Kansas, 133 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 2: and its supposedly as a teenager around the year nineteen 134 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 2: oh six, that the future president had a job sanding 135 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 2: carousel horses at that factory. 136 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: I love that it sounds both whimsical and like something 137 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: that's so old timey. 138 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, definitely definitely quite a summer job. But not 139 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 2: when you come across much these days, because, as we know, 140 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 2: all the golden ages must come to an end, and 141 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 2: in this case, the golden age of the carousel couldn't 142 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 2: keep pace after the invention of, of course, the roller coaster. 143 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: Well, now that we've covered some carousel history, it feels 144 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: like a good time to talk terminology. 145 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 2: And I've always wondered what. 146 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: The difference is between a merry go round and a 147 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: carousel same and it turns out there is none. 148 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 2: Okay, is that end of episode? 149 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: You can use either term to refer to the ride, though, 150 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: of course, carousel can be used more broadly to describe 151 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: things like luggage carousels and airport. According to Merriam Webster, 152 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: the word carousel has been in use since sixteen fifty, 153 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: while merry go round was introduced in seventeen twenty nine. 154 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: That said, there are plenty of words Americans have used 155 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: to describe carousels over the years. That includes things like 156 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: the flying horses, the whirligig, the flying Dutchmen, Kelly's goats, 157 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 1: spinning ginny hobby horses, steam circus, and carry as alls. 158 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: And that's just in the US and England. They've also 159 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: been called roundabouts, tilts, and gallopers. 160 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 2: Okay, that's a lot of names. Actually, speaking of the British, 161 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 2: did you know that there's a pretty significant difference between 162 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 2: carousels in England or gallopers as you mentioned, and then 163 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 2: the ones we have here in the States. 164 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,319 Speaker 1: Yeah. In England, departs are delivered by lorries to build them, 165 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: and in the US they're delivered by. 166 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 2: Cross right, it's very very good, Mago, but no. Traditionally, 167 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 2: carousels in England rotate clockwise, and in most other countries 168 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 2: they go counterclockwise, which just seems so weird. Like I 169 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 2: don't even know one thing. If they went in the 170 00:08:57,840 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 2: other direction, I don't know that I could handle it. 171 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 2: Apparently this is because the British take horseback riding very 172 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 2: seriously and it's improper for an equestrian to get on 173 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 2: a horse from the right side, so by having their 174 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 2: carousels face clockwise, riders are less likely to make that mistake. 175 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 1: I had no idea there were rules about getting on 176 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 1: a horse, but I do like thinking about international carousels, 177 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: so here a quick few facts about them. Paris has 178 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: beautiful double decker carousels, like the one in montmart with 179 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: hand painted city scapes. In Germany you can find carousels 180 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 1: with beer steins and pretzels instead of horses, and Japan 181 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: features ultra modern carousels with anime characters or led light shows. 182 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 2: Fun. 183 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: But I looked up, like, what are the absolute all 184 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: star carousels that you have to go on in the world, 185 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: and these are a few of them. So one is 186 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 1: the House on the Rock carousel in Wisconsin. It's the 187 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: world's largest indoor carousel. It features two hundred and sixty 188 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: nine animals, but not a single horse. 189 00:09:57,480 --> 00:09:59,319 Speaker 2: WHOA that sounds intentional. 190 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: They also have over one hundred and eighty mannequin angels 191 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: floating from the ceiling. Of course, you know, it sounds 192 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: like a fever dream. And then there's the La Carousel 193 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: Desmond Marine in Nanta's, France, and this sounds insane because 194 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: it's a three level mechanical marine carousel. It's got squids, submarines, 195 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: deep sea fish, crabs and boats. It is twenty five 196 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:28,559 Speaker 1: meters tall and supposedly it's like riding through Jules Burns's imagination. 197 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: And then there's the Banksy be Amusement Park, which was 198 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: you know, only there in twenty fifteen, but it was 199 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: a deliberately disturbing carousel. It had a butcher mannequin, there 200 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: was a carousel operator asleep at the control. It was 201 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: quote a brutal satire of capitalism and fairytale nostalgia. Wow. 202 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: And then my favorite one is the Old Goat Carousel, 203 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: which is on Goat Island in Oregon, and it features 204 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:01,199 Speaker 1: quirky wooden goats with hand knit saddles. I loved, and 205 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: the bonus weirdness is that there was a rumor that 206 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: real goats once powered it. 207 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 2: I love that they were quirky wooden goats, right like 208 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 2: just not those normal old wooden goats you sometimes see. 209 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 2: All right, Well, I don't know how many people will 210 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 2: go travel to visit these carousels, but they do sound intriguing. 211 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 2: So we'll be back with a few more carousel facts 212 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 2: after a quick break, including tales of a giant Panda, 213 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 2: Abraham Lincoln's Face, and Catcher and the Rye. What a 214 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 2: trio there, so stay tuned. Welcome back to Part Time Genius, 215 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 2: where today we're taking a spin around the wonderful world 216 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: of carousels. Now quick reminder, if you like what you're hearing, 217 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 2: be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite 218 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 2: podcast app, leave us a nice rating, a review, and 219 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 2: share the episode with a friend. We definitely appreciate it, 220 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 2: and hope so will they so well. 221 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: Something I was thinking about while we were researching this 222 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 1: episode was carousels in media, and I remember this part 223 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: from Jadie Salinger's novel Catcher and the Ride holding Coffield 224 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: is watching his sister Phoebe on the Merry Go Round 225 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: and the quote goes quote, Then the carousels started, and 226 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: I watched her go round and round. All the kids 227 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: tried to grab for the gold ring, and so was 228 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: old Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid she'd fallen 229 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: off the goddamn horse, but I didn't say or do anything. 230 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 2: I have to admit I have not thought about that 231 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 2: book in a very long time, and I do not 232 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 2: remember that there was a carousel. 233 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 1: I have not remember that either. But that quote made 234 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: me wonder why older carousels had rings and why there 235 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: aren't anymore. And I learned that carousels used to have 236 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 1: a shoot next to them, which was attached to a 237 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: kind of arm that dispensed rings, and people riding towards 238 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: the outside of the carousel could reach over and try 239 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 1: to grab a ring as they were moving by. If 240 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: they got one, the rig dispenser would refill, allowing the 241 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: next person to try to grab one. And most rings 242 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 1: were made of a material like steel or iron, but 243 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 1: often in the bunch of rings there was one single 244 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: gold ring or one brass ring, and the lucky person 245 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 1: who grabbed that special ring could cash it in for 246 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: a free pride. 247 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 2: I mean, to be honest, it feels like you'd get 248 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 2: so dizzy just trying to win that free ride. 249 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's definitely a young person's game. Speak of which 250 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: this brass ring feature actually created jobs. Carosel operators needed 251 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: quote ring boys who took all the rings returned to 252 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: a big barrel after the ride and put them back 253 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: into the ring feeder. The problem was people stole the 254 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: rings and especially the brass ones, so they oftentimes kept 255 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: them as souvenirs instead of redeeming them for a free ride. 256 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: So these ring replacements could cost a Merry Go Round 257 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: operator thousands of dollars in a single season, and those 258 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,119 Speaker 1: rise and costs eventually made the rings obsolete. 259 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 2: That is a shame. And I feel like that kind 260 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 2: of happens every once in a while, like stuff gets 261 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 2: too expensive and the world becomes a little less fun. 262 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 2: You know what I mean? Mego, I don't mean to 263 00:13:58,080 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 2: take it down, but no. 264 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 1: It's why we can't have nice runing. 265 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:03,920 Speaker 2: This is very true, all right. So as a resident 266 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 2: of Brooklyn, Mango, you probably know that Brooklyn is the 267 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 2: home to the Merrygo Round hotspot, which is, of course 268 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 2: Coney Island, which once had a staggering twenty four steam 269 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 2: driven carousels. It even became known for its Coney Island 270 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 2: style of Merrygo Round, which meant a ride that was 271 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 2: especially ostentatious and bejeweled. Of course. Now, one Coney Island carousel, 272 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 2: the El Dorado, was forty two feet tall and had 273 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 2: three levels of rotating platforms, each moving at a different speed, 274 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 2: which would make it just weird to look at. But 275 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 2: today there's only one Merrigo round left in Coney Island, 276 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 2: the B and B Carousel, which is on the National 277 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 2: Register of Historic Places. It was almost sold back in 278 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 2: two thousand and five, but an anonymous buyer stepped in 279 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 2: to purchase it and donate it to the city. It 280 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 2: was then sent to Ohio for restoration, which is where 281 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 2: a big discovery was actually made. 282 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: So tell me what this discovery is. 283 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 2: All right? So the carousel was built in nineteen oh nine, 284 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 2: which was the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birthday and the 285 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 2: year the Lincoln penny was first minted. Now, the carver 286 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 2: of the BnB horses, Marcus Charles Iliens, honored the occasion 287 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 2: by carving Lincoln's face into the side of one of 288 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 2: the horses. Aliens had been described as the Michelangelo of 289 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 2: horse carving. It's so weird that I never thought of. 290 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 2: Of course, you know, there's a carousel sculptor who is 291 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 2: more famous than the others, Yeah, like one who's an 292 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 2: artistic genius, the Michelangelo of them. That's exactly right. Well, 293 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 2: what's interesting is that there are three big schools of 294 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 2: carousel design, Like the Philadelphia school is more realistic and naturalistic, 295 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 2: the Coney Island school is the more gaudy and festive 296 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 2: as you might assume, like gold leaves and jewels, and 297 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 2: then there's the country fair style, which is more functional 298 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 2: and easy to transport, So not really that ornad I guess. Anyway, 299 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 2: Aliens was a genius and the artist behind ten different 300 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 2: Coney Island carousels. But this horse had been painted over 301 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 2: so many times that the carving of Lincoln was completely 302 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 2: covered up, so without restoration work and it would have 303 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 2: been lost forever. Now the Lincoln is fully visible, and 304 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 2: it's such a rare and unique piece that no rider 305 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 2: is actually allowed to sit on the horse, and it's 306 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 2: commemorated with a plaque there. 307 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: First of all, I love that there's like a Philadelphia 308 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: style of mery gorounds, which is just amazing. But I 309 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: also love that there's one horse you can't ride at 310 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: Coney Allen because it's there to honor Lincoln. 311 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 2: Lincoln's faces on it. 312 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, so we have talked a lot about the past, 313 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 1: so let's step into the present day and I'm talking 314 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: about solar powered carousels, which have been around since two 315 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: thousand and five. Well known one is the Speedwell Foundation 316 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: Conservation Carousel. It's at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, 317 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: d C. It was completed in twenty twelve, and thanks 318 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: to its one hundred and sixty two solar panels, it 319 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: has a net zero impact on the zoo's energy consumption. 320 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 1: But probably my favorite detail about this carousel is that 321 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 1: instead of traditional horses, riders can choose from a more 322 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: eclectic array of animals. So you can ride on naked 323 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 1: mole rat oh nice, a cuttlefish, a blue crab, or 324 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: a yellowjacket. Oh. 325 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 2: I love those. 326 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: The creators also made a point to feature endangerous fecies 327 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: like a giant panda, so it's a pretty cool way 328 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: to enjoy a fun ride while keeping. 329 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 2: The environment in mind. I love that mix of animals, 330 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 2: all right. Well, from the present day, I'll take it 331 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:21,199 Speaker 2: one step further into the future of carousels. So in 332 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 2: two thousand and nine, the Brooklyn Art Combine known as 333 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 2: the Madagascar Institute created an experimental jet powered carousel. It 334 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 2: didn't have a platform, It only had two seats. They 335 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 2: kind of dangled from this center pole, so it didn't 336 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,120 Speaker 2: really look like a normal carousel and it definitely didn't 337 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 2: work like one either. So riders received jet engine packs 338 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 2: to wear, and igniting them caused the ride to go around. 339 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 1: Which sounds kind of dangerous. 340 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 2: Well, that is very true. The Madagascar Institute made this 341 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,439 Speaker 2: wild contraption for a gadget off festival. When they tested 342 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 2: it out, they put up a sign that read caution, 343 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 2: this may kill you. That's a good warning, you know. 344 00:17:57,600 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 2: It's good to know that. It feels like you shouldn't 345 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 2: get on. I wouldn't. 346 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: Well, I am going to give you today's trophy for 347 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: that one. I never thought you could start a simple 348 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: episode about carousels and end up on a jet fueled 349 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: and possibly lethal ride. This world is full of surprises, Mango. 350 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 2: You should know that by now. But that's all for today. 351 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 2: We'll be back next week with another brand new episode. 352 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 2: In the meantime, you can find us at part Time 353 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 2: Genius on Instagram or Blue Sky, and you can leave 354 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,920 Speaker 2: us a message on our hotline three O two four 355 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:31,359 Speaker 2: oh five five nine two five. Ask us a question, 356 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:34,239 Speaker 2: suggest a topic, give us any feedback. Whatever it is, 357 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 2: we would love to hear from you, but from Dylan Gabe, 358 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 2: Mary Mango and me, thank you so much for listening. 359 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius is a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. 360 00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: This show is hosted by Will Pearson and Me Mongaysh 361 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: and research by our goodpal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's episode 362 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: was engineered and produced by the wonderful Dylan Fagan with 363 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: support from Tyler Klang. The show is executive produced for 364 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 1: iHeart by Katrina Norvel and Ali Perry, with social media 365 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: support from Sasha Gay, trustee Dara Potts and Viney Shorey. 366 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 367 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.