Highland Park Carousel
Also known as: En-Joie Park Carousel; Ideal Park Carousel
Why it's listed
Set on a grassy hill in Highland Park, this carousel carries thirty-six hand-carved wooden figures arranged three abreast: thirty-four horses, a pig and a dog, all jumpers, plus two chariots. The Allan Herschell Company of North Tonawanda built it, and it was bought between about 1920 and 1925 for Ideal Park, later En-Joie Park, in Endicott. It was moved with its sixteen-sided wooden pavilion to Highland Park around 1967. Endicott Johnson president George F. Johnson gave six carousels to Broome County residents, requiring that they stay free to ride. The nomination treats them as an example of welfare capitalism, in which an employer shaped workers' leisure time. The carousel is also valued as a rare survivor: only nineteen all-wooden Herschell carousels of this type are recorded, and this is one of eleven three-abreast machines still running. Its figures have been repainted in places, but all original carvings remain, and it still gives free rides each summer.
Significance in brief: Under Criterion A, it represents welfare capitalism: Endicott Johnson Corporation president George F. Johnson donated carousels for free public use as part of his vision of worker recreation and reform. Under Criterion C, it is a rare surviving hand-carved all-wooden Allan Herschell carousel, one of only nineteen known and one of eleven three-abreast machines still operating. It keeps all its original carved figures and its original pavilion.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 91001963, listed January 25, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Highland Park, Cooper Rd., Endwell |
|---|---|
| County | Broome County |
| Listed | January 25, 1992 |
| Reference number | 91001963 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Period of significance | c1920-c1925 |
| Architect / builder | Allan Herschell Company |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Entertainment/Recreation, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operating and offering rides free of charge to the public through the summer; figures repainted, scenery panels replaced with mirrors, and pavilion roof re-shingled. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.12495, -76.02919 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 91001963.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5758963
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.