Posts tagged Elitch’s

Kit Carton County Carousel Museum

While driving back home to Fort Collins from Kansas on Independence Day, we stopped off I-70 in Burlington, Colorado to see the regionally-famous Kit Carson County Carousel.  Fortunately, we were able to catch the last ride of the day before it closed around 6 pm.

This carousel is a surprisingly fun experience.  In a time of high-tech games and sophisticated electronic entertainment choices, this old-fashioned carousel was refreshing and different.

Tickets, still just 25 cents

I really enjoyed the ornate paintings on the circular interior wall as well as the beautiful wooden animals that patrons get to ride.  The Wurlitzer Military Band organ is rare and fascinating as well.  Check out the video below to hear the music from the organ as we rode on the carousel.

The carousel dates back to 1905 when it

Carved wooden horses

was installed at Denver’s Elitch Gardens amusement park.  It was acquired by Kit Carson County in 1928 and relocated to the fairgrounds on the north side of Burlington.  It spent a number of years in storage and restoration  over the next 80

years, but it’s now fully-restored and protected and will hopefully be running for many more years to come.

For a more detailed history of the carousel, see the History Colorado page.