Tucked inside Kings Dominion is one of the park’s oldest and most historic attractions — a century-old Carousel that’s been delighting riders long before the gates first opened to the public in 1975.
Handcrafted in 1917 by the famed Philadelphia Toboggan Company, the Carousel is the 44th of its kind ever built. Kings Dominion purchased the ride in 1974 from Roger Williams Amusement Park in Rhode Island. After undergoing necessary repairs and restoration, the Carousel made its Kings Dominion debut in 1975 during the park’s grand opening season.
The ride stands out for its classic four-row design, with 66 elaborately detailed horses — the outer row remaining stationary while the three inner rows feature traditional “jumping” horses. Each horse, valued at approximately $10,000, showcases intricate carvings on the outer side, featuring a mix of torches, flags, swords, bees, Indian beading, animal skins, and flowers.
The Carousel also includes two cherub-adorned chariots, each measuring more than five feet tall and nearly eight feet long. Above the ride, a white and red barrel structure is decorated with 14 mirrors, 1,800 lights, and 20 oil paintings depicting scenes ranging from swans gliding across a lake to a playful dog pushing a boy in a buggy.
Adding to the ride’s charm, the red designs painted on the barrel aren’t just decorative — they carry the names of the individuals who first restored the Carousel.
A piece of the ride’s legacy can also be found in the nation’s capital, where one of the original hand-carved horses is preserved at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
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