C. W. Parker Carousel


The C. W. Parker Carousel is a carousel built in 1912 currently operating in the Burnaby Village Museum at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, British Columbia. The carousel was built by the C. W. Parker Company and is also known as the Parker #119 and the Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel. The carousel was the 119th such machine built by the C. W. Parker Company, earning it its "Parker #119" nickname. The carousel contains 41 horses and operates at a pavilion known as the Don Wrigley Pavilion located at one of the museum's two entrances, earning the entrance the name "Carousel Entrance".

History

The carousel was built in 1912 at Leavenworth, Kansas by Charles Wallace Parker who owned the C. W. Parker Company, and was the 119th one made by them. It was sold in 1913 for $5,886.00. The carousel toured Texas for two years with the Lone Star Circus. In 1915 the machine was shipped back to the factory.
It is believed that the machine was rebuilt by the factory. Some fancier horses and heavier rounding boards may have been added. Some of the horses were built in 1917 and some in 1920-1922. The history of the carousel from 1915-1936 is unknown. The carousel was purchased by Happyland, an amusement park in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1936.
The carousel remained at Happyland until the amusement park was demolished in 1957. It was moved to the new small pavilion in Playland, until that too was demolished in 1972.
From 1972 to 1989, Parker #119 was operated outdoors, and was put away each winter.
In 1989 it was announced that the carousel would be sold off horse by horse at an auction in New York. Local residents came together to save the carousel and formed the "Friends of the Vancouver Carousel Society". It was at this time that the carousel was nicknamed the Parker #119.
In May 1989, the Burnaby Village Museum agreed to provide a home for the carousel and the "Friends", led by President Don Wrigley, set about raising the $350,000 to purchase the machine. Keith Jamieson, a carousel expert, was brought in to coordinate the rebuilding project. In 1990, the carousel was purchased. Funds were also raised to pay for the restoration. People who donated money could sponsor a horse and later name it. The museum agreed to build a new pavilion to house the carousel. The pavilion, named the Don Wrigley Pavilion was completed in 1993. The carousel was then named the Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel.

Carousel horses

The carousel's horses are listed here:
#NameSponsorColorStyle
1Captain JuliusDon and Dorothy Wrigley and FamilyGreyJumper
2Royal Burnaby BelleBurnaby Area Royal Banks StaffSorrelJumper
3ChampionVancouver City Savings Credit UnionBrown blackHunter's Pride
4FireflyBurnaby Firefighters Charitable Society Local 323BlackStargazer
5Phar LapMagaret MitchellRed chestnutCowboy
6Scampering DawnDennis and Cice BrownYellow-whiteAmerican Beauty Rose
7VanessaParkland Ventures Ltd.PalominoJumper
8TreasureElsie T. GordonDark bayStargazer
9MignonetteEthel and Faye Stebner, and Ken DiamondGrey-whiteAmerican Beauty Rose
10ValiantPaula V. TanchykBlue-blackArmored Horse
11VivianBarbara BecherYellow-whiteLillie Belle
12NareenaGary, Umeeda and Nareena SwitloBrown roanStargazer
13NipotiBill and Ruth CopelandBay Ovaro PintoFlag
14Mr. EdEthel StebnerPalominoJumper
15AllegroHarry and Hazel SumnerLight bayJumper
16John ErnestErnie and Pat BeaucampChestnut SorrelCowboy
17Betty B.The Beedie GroupBrown blackAmerican Shield
18BingoGordon RobsonChestnutHunter's Pride
19DyckMargery M. RobinsonDark liver chestnutJumper
20TwisterDennis and Flory BosaStrawberry roan AppaloosaFlag
21CentennialBurnaby City CouncilPalominoJumper
22Tommy D.Mayor Bill Copeland and Burnaby MPsCream whiteStargazer
23Rose B.Rose Bancroft Sr., George Bancroft, and Rose BancroftBrown blackJumper
24JamesRose and George BancroftSorrelJumper
25PiscesGin and Dorcas FarnWhiteJumper
26MegDerek CorriganDapple greyJumper
27WheelerThe Rotary Club of Burnaby - Deer LakeBurgundyJumper
28GuppyDorothy E. Wrigley and Cice BrownPalominoJumper
29RebelBurnaby South Secondary SchoolDapple greyJumper
30Royal WarriorBuckingham Elementary SchoolPalominoJumper
31VenusRestaurant and Food Services Association of B.C.Grey whiteJumper
32The ColonelDr. E. M. StevensBuckskinJumper
33Happy MarieMarie and Fred Donatiello and Mary McCormackBlue roanJumper
34ShannonInstabox VancouverSorrelJumper
35AnnieParklane Ventures Ltd.Leopard spot AppaloosaJumper
36Royal GeorgeRoy BrainerdStrawberry roanJumper
37Old Paint1Burnaby Village Museum Staff and VolunteersCreamy whiteCowboy
38Gold Heart Chariot2Variety ClubWhiteN/A
39
  • A. Loving
  • B. Caring
  • C. Sharing
  • D. Helping Hand3
Ronald McDonald Children's Charities of Canada
  • A & B: Black
  • C & D: White
    		• N/A
    40Wurlitzer Band Organ1 2 4N/AWhiteN/A
    41Senate Appointee and Franworth1 5Diamond FoundationN/AN/A
    Notes:
    1. Not on carousel
    2. Not really a horse, but considered one of listing purposes
    3. Is really four small metal ponies and a wheelchair
    4. Has many sponsors
    5. Is really two small metal ponies

      Carousel horse notes

    This section notes horses that are not actually on the carousel and horses that are not really horses.
    Some of the carousel's horses are not actually horses, but are listed as such for the purpose of creating a list on the carousel's horses. Examples of this are Horse #38, "Gold Heart Chariot" and Horse #40, "Wurlitzer Band Organ".
    Horse #37, known as "Old Paint", was sponsored by the Burnaby Village Museum and was not restored, as a reminder to visitors of the sorry state the carousel was in when the museum first acquired it. The horse was named for the "old paint" that was originally on the carousel before it was restored. The horse is currently in a display case next to the carousel.
    Horse #39 is really four small ponies and a wheelchair. This was placed to make the carousel accessible to toddlers and disabled people.
    Horse #41 is really two small ponies. While originally on the carousel with Horse #39, they were removed to make room for Horse #39's wheelchair and placed, one each, at the museum's two entrances.
    There were originally two chariots on the carousel. One has since gone missing while the carousel was under the ownership of a theme park. The ponies which now form Horses #39 and #41 were added to the area where the other chariot was originally placed. Horse #38 was also cut in half, removing the backdrop and adding more seats to the carousel. When the carousel was bought by the museum, Horse #38 underwent restoration, adding a backdrop to it, making it a chariot once again.

    Carousel horse rows

    Row 1:
    Outside: #1 Captain Julius,
    Middle: #13 Nipoti,
    Inside: #25 Pisces
    Row 2:
    Outside: #2 Royal Burnaby Belle,
    Middle: #14 Mr. Ed,
    Inside: #26 Meg
    Row 3:
    Outside: #3 Champion,
    Middle: #15 Allegro,
    Inside: #27 Wheeler
    Row 4:
    Outside: #4 Firefly,
    Middle: #16 John Ernest,
    Inside: #28 Guppy
    Row 5:
    Outside: #5 Phar Lap,
    Middle: #17 Betty B.,
    Inside: #29 Rebel
    Row 6:
    Outside: #6 Scampering Dawn,
    Middle: #18 Bingo,
    Inside: #30 Royal Warrior
    Row 7:
    Outside: #7 Vanessa,
    Middle: #19 Dyck,
    Inside: #31 Venus
    Row 8:
    Outside: #8 Treasure,
    Middle: #20 Twister,
    Inside: #32 The Colonel
    Row 9:
    Outside: #9 Mignonette,
    Middle: #21 Centennial,
    Inside: #33 Happy Marie
    Row 10:
    Outside: #10 Valiant,
    Middle: #22 Tommy D.,
    Inside: #34 Shannon
    Row 11:
    Outside: #11 Vivian,
    Middle: #23 Rose B.
    Inside: #35 Annie
    Row 12:
    Outside: #12 Nareena,
    Middle: #24 James,
    Inside: #36 Royal George