Herschell, Allan, Carousel Factory
Why it's listed
This sprawling wood-frame factory in North Tonawanda, New York, was where the Allan Herschell Company built hand-carved wooden carousels. Six main buildings dating from about 1910 to 1915 are linked by later additions and roofed corridors, and most still hold original production equipment. The Mill Building predates the company and was built for a box and lumber firm; it has a clerestory monitor. The 54-foot Roundhouse, with eighteen sides and no center post, was designed for assembling and testing carousels. A 1916 Number One Special Three Abreast portable carousel, forty feet across with thirty-five wooden horses, is also part of the property and operates in the roundhouse in summer. The factory is considered one of only two surviving American complexes of its kind and the last in a city that once had five carousel makers. Wooden carousel production fell sharply in the early 1930s. The factory ceased operating in 1960, and the Roundhouse roof collapsed under snow in 1984.
Significance in brief: The complex is believed to be one of only two surviving manufacturing complexes in the United States that produced hand-carved wooden carousels. It is the last carousel factory in North Tonawanda, which once had five. The Mill Building is a rare local frame industrial structure with a clerestory monitor, and the 18-sided Roundhouse is unique as a building designed to assemble and test carousels.
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 85000856, listed April 18, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 180 Thompson St., North Tonawanda |
|---|---|
| County | Niagara County |
| Listed | April 18, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000856 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1910-c.1930 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Out of operation as a factory since 1960; only the roundhouse is in use, housing an operating carousel in summer. Its conical roof collapsed in March 1984 and was to be rebuilt in 1985. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 43.03003, -78.87302 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 85000856.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4730686
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.