Stephanie Brown admires one of the Jantzen Beach carousel horses that's been in storage for 11 years now. Picture taken March 28, 2023.
Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB
After 11 years in storage, interest in housing the old Jantzen Beach carousel is beginning to build.
The Daily Astorian reports that the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce and Astoria City Council are interested in providing a new home for the 1920s-era attraction. But Astoria may not be the only community trying to come up with a pitch.
The nonprofit Restore Oregon, which owns the carousel, has set a Sept. 15 deadline to find the ride a new Oregon home. Stephanie Brown with Restore Oregon said they have received several promising proposals, including a nibble from Astoria.
“But at this point we’re keeping locations confidential,” she said.
Brown is willing to say that all the organizations applying to house the carousel already own planned locations.
“Owned property is actually a big thing,” she said. “The carousel’s greatest need is a pavilion to house it. And you can’t build a pavilion unless you have property to build it on.”
Parts of the Jantzen Beach carousel have been restored, to find just the right colors and paints. But the attraction still needs $4 million of restoration work.
Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB
Brown said a final decision will be based on property ownership and having just the right location.
“We would like the carousel to be in a location that has adequate foot traffic to support it. If we put it out in the middle of nowhere, no one could ride it,” she said.
Restore Oregon plans to donate the carousel. But a new pavilion could cost as much as $5 million. And the attraction needs another $4 million in renovation work.
If a suitable home can’t be found in Oregon by the mid-September deadline, Restore Oregon has said it will start considering offers from outside the state.
Jantzen Beach carousel in its heyday. Courtesy Barbara Fahs Charles Collection.
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