Scannell, Suozzi, Pennies for Ponies supporters and carousel horse lovers see Nunley's Carousel off on its way to Restoration

Nassau County Legislator Joseph Scannell (D-Baldwin) was joined by Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, students and carousel lovers today to give the 41 horses (and one lion) of the Nunley’s Carousel a proper send-off as they hit the road to be refurbished. The carousel, currently in storage at the Cradle of Aviation, was trucked to Ohio today be restored and beautified before coming back home to Nassau County.

“The carousel is a nostalgic symbol to many Nassau County residents,” explained Legislator Scannell. “Restoring this historic carousel will enrich the lives of generations to come.”

The crowd that gathered to give the carousel a proper send-off included dozens of “grown-ups” who were as excited as children upon seeing their favorite horses and spoke nostalgically about their rides on Nunley’s Carousel.

The historic wooden carousel was built by Murphy-Stein & Goldstein between 1910 and 1912 and was operated at Nunley’s Amusement Park in Baldwin from 1939-1996. Consisting of 30 jumping and 11 standing horses as well as chariots and a lion, the Nunley Carousel has been in storage at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City since the Park’s closing. Following its restoration, the carousel will make its new home on Museum Row near Mitchel Field.

“I'm so excited that the kids of Long Island were able to work together and raise enough money, so that children for generations will be able to enjoy the excellent experience that their parents had on Nunley's Carousel,” said Rachel Obergh, the 9-year old founder of Pennies for Ponies.

“This carousel has a special place in so many people’s hearts, and it won’t be long before another generation of children can enjoy it,” said County Executive Suozzi. “We are looking forward to welcoming the horses back to their home at the Long Island Children’s Museum once they are restored.”

Principal Peggy Miller from the Columbus Avenue School in Freeport was also present to announce that students at her school raised $1,000 to pay half the cost of the restoration of one horse. Leg. Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) matched that amount with a $1,000 personal donation.

The Ohio-based Carousel Works will be doing the restoration. The $484,000 contract will include the reconditioning of the frame and mechanism, the horses, the chariots and lion, the scenery panels, the mirror panels, the operating controls, and the original Wurlitzer 153 organ. The restoration is being paid for with $420,000 from discretionary capital funds secured by Legislator Scannell, along with money raised by Pennies for Ponies, a nonprofit group started two years ago by Obergh, of Wantagh.

Pennies for Pennies has succeeded in seeing each of the 42 carousel animals adopted for restoration at $2,000 each by schools, a Baldwin hardware store, the Lercari family, who owned Nunley's, and County Executive Suozzi, to name a few. The organization, fueled by Rachel’s love for the carousel, raised more than $81,000!  The organization also plans to putting extra money raised towards adopting the chariots and organ, as well as placing plaques with the names of the horses and the donor at the base of each animal.

The County Executive also announced that the county has budgeted $1 million for a new enclosure for the carousel.