TM Celebrating Our 15th Year Vol. 15 • Issue 8.2 NOVEMBER 2011 Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s carousel turns 100 STORY: Jeffrey L. Seifert gigantic natatorium that of-
[email protected] fered one of the largest heated saltwater pools ever created. SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Other attractions soon fol- The oldest ride at the Santa lowed including a miniature Cruz Beach Boardwalk passed steam train that same year, a the century mark earlier this Thompson Scenic Railway in summer. 1908 and the Looff Carousel in Charles I.D. Looff, one of 1911. the earliest and most success- ful builders of carousels deliv- Americans fall in love ered the “Merry Go Round” come a popular pastime. with the ‘Carousel’ to the Boardwalk in August of John Leibrandt opened Though dating back to 1911. the first public bathhouse on France in the mid 16th centu- Looff, who immigrated the beach in 1865. The Santa ry, it wasn’t until the late 1800s from Denmark as a young Cruz beach, with its south- and the adaptation of a steam man, began building carousels ern shore on the north side of engine that carousels became in 1875, installing his first at Monterey Bay was protected popular. Mrs. Lucy Vanderveer’s Bath- from the harsh waves typical Americans had become ing Pavilion at Coney Island, of the west coast and offered a enchanted with these new New York City, in 1876. Be- beautiful and serene area with rides in the late 1800s and ear- The historic Santa ing one of the first, many of safe, open-water swimming.