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MMD > Archives > August 2008 > 2008.08.27 > 03Prev  Next


Carousel Organ at Bushkill Park, Easton, PA
By Rich Sitler

Okay, my two cents now!  I was fortunate enough to have visited
Bushkill Park back in the late 1970s.  At that time Mabel Long was
the owner (boy, was she a character!) and Mel Heavner ran the show.
Mel was quite proud of the carrousel and band organs and played both
while we were there.

Bruce Pier is correct in his placement and description.  I recalled
that the outside organ was a Wurlitzer 148, but it could have been
a North Tonawanda.  I seem to recall that the entire machine and all
of the extra figures from the carving shop were "retracted" by the
Long family, but I could be wrong.

When the new owners were looking for a carrousel, they contacted
Ron Long who provided them with a machine and organ from the defunct
Willow Mill Park in Mechanicsburg.  This was a Herschell machine with
a Wurlitzer 146 organ that had been restored by Mike Kitner.

As mentioned, when Hurricane Ivan blew through, Bushkill was devastated.
The carrousel managed to stay in the building but was heavily damaged.
The organ had actually been floating around inside the ride, kept
captive by the hangers and horses.  Bill [Black] told me that aside
from the obvious effects of exposure to water, a number of the bottom
pipes were missing.  We all know the costs of a basic restoration --
just think about the cost of this one!

I had seen the machine advertised for sale (with or without organ) in
one of the carrousel publications several years ago.  I have not heard
further of its fate.  There were actually plans and movement made to
reopen after the 2004 flood, but another flood in 2005 wiped out those
plans.  The current owner (the "real" owner) still has hopes of opening
someday, if he can get past the quagmire of legalities in which the
place is involved.  For photos of the flood in 2004, go here:
http://www.ridezone.com/parks/pa/bushkill/Flood04/index.htm 

Rich Sitler


(Message sent Wed 27 Aug 2008, 11:20:09 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Bushkill, Carousel, Easton, Organ, PA, Park

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