The historic carousel at Glen Echo Park in Montgomery County, Maryland, is undergoing major repair work this winter.
The round canopy building painted yellow, red and green is hidden beneath a huge tent-like shroud.
The Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture said the $1 million repair project is on track, which means the antique carousel is expected to reopen this spring. It’s projected to open May 2.
The intricately hand-carved animal figures spin riders round and round to the merry music of the carousel’s 1926 Wurlitzer Band Organ.
“The carousel’s been there 99 years,” said National Park Service Ranger Aaron LaRocca. “We’re replacing the roof, we’re also rehabilitating the band organ room … and we’re upgrading the fire detection and notification system.”
Although the former amusement park, which is now an arts and cultural center, is on the Maryland side of the Potomac River, it’s part of the George Washington Parkway administered by the National Park Service in partnership with Montgomery County and the non-profit Glen Echo Partnership.
The project is estimated to cost about $1.06 million and is mostly funded by the National Park Service, which owns the property and buildings at Glen Echo Park.
“This project will help preserve those resources for future generations….it’s the central part of Glen Echo Park, no trip is ever complete without a ride on the carousel,” LaRocca said.
