Lake Accotink carousel gets a makeover

The Lake Accotink carousel is about 80 or 90 years old and is the oldest
carousel in a Fairfax County park still in use. 

It has been closed since the beginning of the
year when park staff began restoration of the original hand-carved wooden horses
and other pieces. Staff stripped down the wood, fixed structural issues, and
refinished and painted the surfaces.

There are 27 horses, two chariots, and three smaller
stationary “buckabouts” – a cat, crane, and fox – for younger children.

Some of the old gears were in poor condition, Smith says, so
park staff ordered new mechanical parts. They took the mechanisms completely apart,
installed the new pieces, refurbished the wooden structure, power-washed and
repainted the canopy, power-washed and resurfaced the concrete
platform, and repaired the fence.

Except for some of the metal mechanisms that were replaced, the other parts are original. Funding for the renovation came from the Park
Authority’s budget. Since the work was done by employees, the only outside
cost was about $15,000 for the replacement gears.

A sign at the carousel says Fairfax County purchased it in
1978 from Fairhill Farm Antiques for $30,000. It was manufactured by the Allan
Herschell Co., which specialized in portable amusement park rides for traveling
carnivals.

A carousel ride is $3.