Rhode Island has a rich, fascinating history. You can dine at the oldest tavern in the country, and you can take a ride on America’s oldest running carousel as well, if you’re a child. This summer, revisit your childhood and make a trip to the Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill. It’s the kind of nostalgic place you can’t help but love.

The Flying Horse Carousel dates all the way back to around 1876, when it was constructed by the Charles W. Dare Company of New York.
Wikipedia
The carousel has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. In 1987, it was declared a National Historic Landmark.
The carousel now sits in the coastal village of Watch Hill in Westerly.
flatfaces / TripAdvisor
But until 1879, it was part of a traveling carnival. After the carnival was forced to abandon it, it stayed here. No one knows why the carousel was abandoned, but of course, we're glad it's a part of our state.
Watch Hill is a popular summer destination, known for its stunning sandy beaches.
KLATAMPA / TripAdvisor
And when the weather warms up, the carousel comes alive for the season.

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The carousel is located at the end of Bay Street in a wood-frame pavilion.
flatfaces / TripAdvisor
There are 20 horses in total, suspended by chains from sweeps coming out of the center.
While many of the horse's details have been replaced, all of them still have their original agate eyes.
KLATAMPA / TripAdvisor
Rumor has it that the horses were all carved from single blocks of wood, with the legs carved separately and attached.
When this carousel became a permanent part of Watch Hill, it had to be powered physically by two men with cranks.
flatfaces / TripAdvisor
Later, they'd tie a horse to the center with a rope, and the carousel would move when the horse walked. It has been powered by electricity since 2014.
The Flying Horse Carousel is a completely unique structure, and we're lucky to have it.
Magicpiano / Wikipedia
Watch the riders as centrifugal force drives the horses outward, earning them the nickname "flying horses."

Carousel riders must be under 12 years old, but you’ll have just as much fun watching it spin from June until September.

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Westerly, RI 02891, USA