16 Miles from Boulder, CO by Car
Nederland, CO’s Whimsical Fun Factory!
“Wait…what…there’s a carousel in this little town?” That’s my reaction when I picked up a brochure at a corner convenience store. I made a beeline to the building and found the Carousel of Happiness to be just that. The sights and sounds are almost guaranteed to evoke smiles and laughter for riders and spectators from toddlers to time-seasoned grandmas and grandpas. My $3 ride was probably the best $3 I ever spent!
The Carousel of Happiness
Scott Harrison, a young U.S. Marine serving in Vietnam, envisioned children riding a carousel in a mountain meadow. Chopin’s “Trestese” served as an inspiration for it all. The dream of a Carousel of Happiness helped Scott keep his wits during his time serving in the military, and again when he returned home. Scott spent the last 26 years creatively carving the animals and decorations. The carousel is, no doubt, a labor of love!
According to the pamphlet I picked up at the office, the main mechanism of the carousel was purchased in 1986. The horses and animals had been removed and sold off by the previous owner. With the visionary help of his artist friend, George Blevins, Scott began hand carving brand new, replacement animals in his garage.
Instead of replacing the carousel animals with traditional horses and animals, Scott’s whimsical direction was intended to capture the spirit and attention of the children. Of course, we are all children at heart. The rest of us just have to peel back the years of being adults, if only long enough for a $3 ride.
Most of the animal rides require climbing the rungs of the ladder below the animal. Many of them pulsated up and down during the ride.
The less agile riders can just pull up a seat and, as the carousel spins, have a pleasant conversation with a great ape. The Gorilla is wheelchair accessible.
The gentle up and down motion of the animals is achieved by the offsets. The twisted, gold clad center post in this photo is for a static ride.
Entry to the building is free! Better yet, visitors can take all of the photos the want from the railings around the deck area. The staff of mostly volunteers was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The carousel operator is a trained, paid employee. I came to “expect the unexpected” in this magical world.
I was at the Carousel of Happiness in the middle of the day in early October. It wasn’t especially busy, but there was a steady stream of people ready to keep the carousel spinning. In between rides, people gathered with their tickets at the gate that opens into the actual ride. The ride operator served as tour guide of sorts, giving a brief history of the carousel and what it took to get it to it’s present state.
I watched and photographed several ride sequences, then went back to the ticket counter and pulled out $3 for my ticket. I rode the moose, of course. All through the carousel building, there are little hidden elements. Well, they might not exactly be hidden, but you have to look for them. Scroll back up to the moose to find the two little birds sitting on his antlers! Check out the string of pearls on the chicken. I probably would have never considered a colorful snake wrapped around a giraffe’s neck!
After my $3 ride, I asked, and the lady let me stay inside the carousel area for additional photos. I’m thankful she did! I had about 10 minutes to take photos before the next wave of riders were ready to climb up on their chosen animal. When the ride begins, a 1913 Wurlitzer125 Military Band Organ supplies the nostalgic music. The sound comes from the 101 instruments, powered by compressed air. Punched paper rolls direct each of 10 songs on each roll.
A 12 sided structure, like the main carousel building, is believed by some philosophers and mathematicians to have a level of irrationality within. The “Somewhere Else Wall” seeks to find that irrationality with aminals coming out of it, or half way into it.
This pelican is returning to the carousel building after going “somewhere else” for a while. Be careful if you ever build a 12 sided house!
Besides the Carousel of Happiness and the Somewhere Else Wall, all available spaces inside of the carousel building are fully decorated.
Detailed and skillful hand carvings are everywhere. The animals and decorative elements are carved from traditional basswood.
I spent most of my time photographing the carved animals and other features in the building, but looking back, I see that I “should have” taken a photo or two of the outside of the building and its sign. Above the rides, the carousel also has a set of restored 1910 oil-on-tin rounding boards and another set of 18 inner rounding boards. I should have taken a photo or two of the large motors that currently drive the carousel. Also, there was a cart next to the carousel with cans of paint and paintbrushes used to touch up and paint the subjects. When I go back, I hope to take the extra photos!
Additional animals adorn the carousel, including dozens of small birds, parrots, and a fox walking across the rafters. A Koala Bear on one of the beams has some additional inspirational significance. Grab a Kleenex and watch the 10 minute documentary. I included the link below the map at the bottom of the page.
I don’t think any of the animals should be considered scary. Instead, I would describe them as whimsical, fun, and often comical.
I didn’t count the main rides, but this page should give you an idea of what to expect. As I mentioned in the intro, my $3 ticket might be the best $3 I ever spent!
Time for me to say goodbye, but you can always go to Nederland, buy a ticket, and unload your problems on the Gorilla. He’s there to listen and help when he can!
Additional Info & Resources
The map above should help in locating the Carousel of Happiness. Take Highway 119 up the Boulder Canyon. It’s a winding 16 mile drive. Eldora Ski Resort is just up the road. The town is small…roughly 1500 residents. From Loveland, Nederland is about 55 miles or a drive of around an hour and 15 minutes.
Watch this 10 minute Documentary on YouTube: Click Here to go to the YouTube clip. It is extremely well done, and the videos show the carousel in action. The video also shows Scott and explains how the carousel helped him, and individuals in the community, through tough times.
Visit the Carousel of Happiness web site at: www.carouselofhappiness.org The Carousel of Happiness is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization on a mission to promote happiness, well-being, and service others through stories and experience. Check out the gift shop, located in the building. A book about the Carousel is available. You can donate and shop online as well.
I used a Sony A1 mirrorless camera and a Tamron 35-150mm lens for these photos. All of them were hand-held captures.