An Antique Carousel Will Soon Be A Permanent Fixture At The Mississippi Agriculture And Forestry Museum

There’s no quicker way to stir up some feelings of nostalgia than a carousel. And for many residents, the carousel that comes to mind is the Caring Carousel. At the end of 2020, it was disassembled, but its days of circling round and round are hardly over.

Since 2004, Miskelly Furniture in Pearl has been known for two things – its great furniture and…its antique carousel!

We know what you’re thinking, "A furniture store and a carousel?! What a weird combo!" But, it makes sense when you learn that the owners were looking for a way to showcase their commitment to family.

The furniture store was actually built with the location of the carousel in mind.

For a $1 donation, customers could hop aboard the antique carousel and go for a spin. The proceeds were donated to a different charity every year. Over time, the store donated over $200,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and more.

In October 2020, Miskelly Furniture announced it was donating the carousel to Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum in Jackson.

A generous gesture, the carousel is an antique that was brought to Mississippi all the way from Felimana Luna Amusement Park in Argentina.

Moving the large carousel is no easy task.

It had to be disassembled in Pearl and then taken piece by piece to the museum. At the museum, it will be reassembled near the Children’s Barnyard and Multi-Purpose Building.

The Caring Carousel isn’t the only carousel at the museum, though. There's another antique carousel that dates back to 1928.

Made by the Allan-Herschell Company of New York, it was moved to the museum in 1988. In addition to galloping horses, the carousel features sleigh-style seats, a custom canvas top, and interior scenery.

Watch the video below for a peek at the disassembly process.

Want to know more about the carousel? For more information, visit the museum's website or Facebook page.

So, did you know about this antique carousel? Ever ridden on it? Did you know it was being moved? Tell us!

This isn’t the only classic carousel in Mississippi. Click here to read about another.