Thursday’s Theme: Spin and Chattanooga’s Coolidge Park Carousel
One of my favorite digital photography blogs is Picture This, written by professional photographer Tracey. She hosts Monday’s Best Shot and today she started Thursday’s Theme.
The theme today is spin. I wanted to take it a step further and show off spin in Chattanooga. And the obvious place to go would be the Coolidge Park Carousel.
Our family spent an evening at Coolidge Park last February, so this is an old picture, but I think it represents the theme. I like how the horse is actually in focus and the rest, including my son and husband, are moving with delight. Even the gigantic carved animals look like they are having fun.
The Coolidge Park Carousel has a great history to go with the fun. In 1895, the carousel began its life in New York. In 1915 it moved to Massachusetts, with a few improvements like electric lights and two rows of “jumpers.” (The horses that go up and down.)
The carousel moved to Grant Park in Atlanta, where it was operated until it wore down. Because of lack of funds, it was put into storage and the original horses were sold.
Chattanooga came into the picture when Bud Ellis founded the “Friends of the Carousel” and started America’s only carousel carving school, called Horsin’ Around.
Bud Ellis and friends carved the animals that are now seen on the restored carousel. So not only is the carousel a fun tourist attraction, it is a piece of local artists’ hard work and imaginations.
With their help, he trained carvers, recruited an army of volunteers, secured funding and laid claim to a spectacular location for the restored machine in a specially developed park right on the banks of the Tennessee River.
The Carousel is open year round. Monday - Saturday; 11:00 am to 6:00 pm & Sundays from 1:00pm - 6:00pm (E.S.T.)
When summer arrives, from the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend the hours are Monday - Saturday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm & Sundays from 1:00 to 6:30 pm.
Admission is.50 cents for children 12 and under and for Seniors ages 55 and over $1.00 for adults.
Enjoy your own ride and enjoy a piece of Chattanooga’s art.
[tags]Chattanooga, Chattanooga carousel, Coolidge Park Carousel, carousel, Thursdays Theme, spin[/tags]
June 7th, 2007 at 10:01 am
That’s cool! I like your shot, too, for that blurry look and hte one horse in focus. Nice! I enjoyed reading about the history, too.
June 7th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Very nice spin - I, too, like the motion blur with just the horse in focus!
June 7th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Great post. I did a video many years ago on Horsing Around, but since everything has converted to digital…I’ve gotta find a way to get it off of 3/4″ tape.
June 7th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
What a great way to capture SPIN. I love it! Thanks for palying Thursday’s Theme. I’m thrilled to be starting another weekly happening at Picture This!
June 7th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
I know that carousel! I know that bridge and scene in your header! My family loves visiting Chattanooga.
Fun photo.
June 27th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
I love the action that it shows, and the way the light hits that horse’s face.
I have shot the carousel several times, now I want to go back and look those images up again.