Lancaster Home Sought For Rocky Springs Carousel
On March 26, the Lititz Historical Foundation treated area residents to a presentation dedicated to the Rocky Springs Park Carousel. Eileen Gregg, author of "Lancaster's Hidden Treasure: The Rocky Springs Dentzel Carousel," and two invited guests visited the Lititz Public Library to speak about the history of the carousel and efforts to resurrect the merry-go-round in a Lancaster location. Rocky Springs Park was a fixture in Lancaster from 1899 to 1968.
Cory Van Brookhoven, president of the Lititz Historical Foundation, welcomed Gregg, who said she was happy to see interest in the carousel. "This is an unusual kind of history book," Gregg began, noting that she sees the work as a story that needed to be written while people who have memories of Rocky Springs Park are still living. To make the presentation interactive, Gregg asked who had visited the park, ridden on the rides, or met their spouse near the carousel. She noted that the book contains a chapter dedicated to a love story of a couple that met at the carousel.
Gregg said that the book includes more than 230 pages, 52 chapters, and 122 photos - 112 of them in color. She noted that the book features before and after restoration pictures of 12 of the merry-go-round's animals. The six sections of the book cover the history of the carousel, which was placed near the beach in Rocky Springs Park in 1899. The carousel was built by the Dentzel family, which had originally begun making carousels in Germany. During its time at Rocky Springs, the carousel converted from steam to electricity and was sold to Joseph Figari. The park closed in 1968 and reopened briefly in 1979. In 1983, carousel owners Kim Figari and husband Tom Wolf moved the carousel to Lake Lansing Park in Michigan, where it remained until it moved to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in 1989. In 1999, the carousel was transported to Lancaster by volunteers and purchased by the nonprofit Rocky Springs Carousel Association. "The Rocky Springs Dentzel Carousel is a national treasure," said Gregg, who noted that other chapters focus on the carousel animals, the organ, catching the brass ring, and Tom Wolf's 20-year history with the ride.
Guest speaker Noreen Sweeney told the group how she and her late husband, Mike, visited Dollywood in the fall of 1998, where they met with Kim and Tom. Several months later, Tom visited the Sweeneys to say that the carousel was leaving Dollywood and that he wanted it to return to Lancaster. Mike contacted Lancaster's then-mayor, Charlie Smithgall, who supported the project, and the Friends of Rocky Springs Carousel was established with Mike as president. A fundraising campaign purchased the carousel.
At the recent presentation, Dee Lynch, who was active in the fundraising campaign, told of how hard area residents had worked to raise funds to bring the carousel back and restore it.
Speaking about the book and the mission to restore the merry-go-round, Gregg noted, "The final chapter is called 'The Challenge Presented by the Rocky Springs Carousel.' We have a goal to see this beautiful carousel operating once again in its home area."
More information about the book may be found by searching for "Lancaster's Hidden Treasure - The Rocky Springs Dentzel Carousel" on Facebook.
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