Charles I. D. Looff
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| Charles I. D. Looff | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 24, 1852 Schleswig, Denmark |
| Died | July 1, 1918 Long Beach, California |
| Spouse | Anna |
| Children | Arthur, Charles, William, Emma |
Charles I. D. Looff (May 24, 1852-July 1, 1918,) was an amusement park pioneer and a maker of hand-carved carousels. He originated the Coney Island style of carousel while working as a carver in a Brooklyn furniture factory.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Looff was born in Schleswig, now part of Denmark, and immigrated to New York City in 1870. He added the middle initials I.D. to his name when, upon arrival at Ellis Island, he was told he needed a middle initial for his ID.
[edit] Marriage and children
Looff and his wife Anna had six children including amusement park operators Arthur Looff, Charles Looff, William Looff, and Emma Vogel. Looff relocated his family and business to Riverside, Rhode Island in 1895, then Long Beach, California in 1912.
With his sons Arthur and William, Looff built the Santa Monica Pier and operated amusement parks and carousels at Santa Monica, Ocean Park, Redondo Beach, Venice Beach, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco. Looff and his wife Anna lived upstairs from his Long Beach carousel factory until his death in 1918.
[edit] Death and afterward
Looff's son Arthur went on to build the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and other attractions.
[edit] Works
[edit] Looff carousels
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
| Year | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1875 | Balmer's Carousel | Balmer's Bathing Pavilion, Coney Island | menagerie, no jumpers, the first of over 25 carousels at Coney Island, burned in the Dreamland fire of 1911 |
| 1880 | Feltman's Pavilion | menagerie, no jumpers, built , partially burned in the West Brighton fire of 1899, or possibly earlier because Feltman bought a second carousel by Looff in the 1890's | |
| 1880 | Young's Million Dollar Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey | ||
| 1890 | Broadway Flying Horses Carousel | originally located at Coney Island, moved to Seaport Village, San Diego, California in 1980 and operated there until its sale in 2004 [1] | |
| c. 1890 | Coney Island | operated 1890 to 1905, 3 abreast, menagerie | |
| 1893 | Lake Compounce Carousel | Lake Compounce, Bristol, Connecticut | originally located at Savin Rock, West Haven, Connecticut, moved to present location in 1911 |
| c. 1893 | Roger Williams Park, Rhode Island | replaced in 1937 with PTC #44 | |
| 1894 | The Looff Carousel at Slater Park | Slater Memorial Park, Pawtucket, Rhode Island | originally located at Lee Funland in New York, moved to present location in 1910; fastest Looff carousel made; listed on National Register |
| 1895 | Crescent Park Carousel | Crescent Park, East Providence, Rhode Island | used by Looff as showcase for his work, all animals different; operational brass rings; listed on National Register |
| 1898 | Antique Carousel | Canobie Lake Park, Salem, New Hampshire | moved to present location in 1906 |
| c. 1900 | Sherman's, Caroga Lake, New York | Looff carousel populated with metal animals; in original 12-sided carousel building | |
| 1901 | ? | Goddard Park, Warwick, Rhode Island | originally located at Lakeside Park, Syracuse, New York, moved 1908 to Rocky Point Amusement Park, Rhode Island and 1930 to present location |
| 1903 | Lakeside Park Carousel | Lakeside Park, Port Dalhousie, Ontario | moved to present location in 1921 |
| 1905 | Island Park Carousel | Portsmouth, Rhode Island | survived 1938 hurricane |
| 1906 | Zeum Carousel | Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco | built in 1906 for San Francisco, sent to instead Seattle's Luna Park due to 1906 earthquake, returned to California in 1912 |
| 1909 | Lakeside Carousel | International Market World, Auburndale, FL | originally located in Harvey Lake, Pennsylvania, moved to Florida in 1986 and present location in 1996 |
| 1909 | Riverfront Park Carousel | Riverfront Park, Spokane, Washington | a wedding gift for Looff's daughter Emma Vogel and her husband Louis Vogel, who owned Natatorium Park; moved to present location in 1975; operational brass rings; National Historic Landmark |
| 1909 | Whalom Park Carousel | Whalom Park, Massachusetts | moved to Whalom Park in 1914, closed since 2000 |
| 1910 | Carousel of Happiness | Nederland, Colorado | originally located at Saltair Park, Salt Lake City, Utah, moved to American Fork, Utah in 1959 and sold for parts in 1986; building for Looff frame with new carved horses underway[2] |
| c. 1910 | Dr. Floyd L. Moreland Carousel | Casino Pier, Seaside Heights, New Jersey | moved in 1932 from Burlington Park, New Jersey; bearings and gears by Looff, figures by Dentzel, Looff, Carmel, and Illions |
| 1911 | The Pike Carousel | Long Beach, California | burned down in 1943 |
| 1911 | Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Carousel | Santa Cruz, California | National Historic Landmark, brass rings, still in use at original location |
| 1911 | Fantasy Fair, Toronto, Ontario | moved to present location in 1988; Looff platform, fiberglass animals | |
| c. 1911 | Lighthouse Point Park Carousel | New Haven, Connecticut | original location unknown, moved to present location in 1916 |
| 1912 | Heritage Museum Carousel | Heritage Museums and Gardens, Sandwich, Massachusetts | original location Riverside, RI, moved to present location in 1969 |
| c. 1912 | Grand Carousel | Knoebels, Elysburg, Pennsylvania | moved to present location in 1941 from Riverview Park in Rahway, New Jersey; Looff frame, Carmel horses; operational brass rings |
| 1922 | Santa Monica Pier Carousel | Santa Monica Pier | replaced in 1977 with PTC #62; Looff Hippodrome carousel building is a National Historic Landmark |
| 1926 | Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round | Griffith Park, California | Spillman/Looff mix |
| 1928 | Van Andel Museum Carousel | Grand Rapids, Michigan | original location Lakewood Park, Barnesville, PA, moved to present location in 1982 |
[edit] References
- ^ Powell, Ronald W. (2004-04-25). Carousel's run comes to an end. The San Diego Union-Tribune.
- ^ Lawlor, Barbara (2006-12-13). Carousel of Happiness offered to Nederland, The Mountain Ear.
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Looff, Charles I.D. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Amusement park pioneer and carousel maker. |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 24, 1852 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Schleswig |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 1, 1918 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Long Beach, California |
