By JILL ALEXANDER

Carousel, merry-go-round — whatever you prefer to call it, most people have had the pleasure of riding one at some point in their life.

And some of these circular wonders are more extravagant and older than others. Consider the restored and renamed Dorothea Laub Balboa Park Carousel.

Built in 1910, this carousel still runs on its original General Electric motor. The hand-painted animal menagerie and paintings, military band organ, and brass ring game are all original.

It was brought to Balboa Park in 1922 and is one of 12 in the United States that still operates as it did more than a century ago. Forever Balboa Park, a non-profit, has owned, operated, and maintained the carousel since 2017 and partners with the city of San Diego, community organizations, and the public to enhance Balboa Park.

As for Laub, the 95-year-old San Diego resident was the lead donor of the project writing a check for $1 million to the successful Capital Campaign that funded the acquisition and much-needed restorations of the historic carousel.

“I’m excited and proud to have my name attached to it,” she said. “They’ve restored it beautifully and it works. Some of the horses are amazing.”

Laub attended a private donor event recently that Forever Balboa Park held as a preview for the carousel restoration project’s completion.

“The event was lovely that I attended and there were a lot of people there,” she said. “It was for those who supported the renovations which is absolutely gorgeous. They took off some of the horses and the finish, the colors, and the patina is just magnificent. Not all are done, since they work on them once a week.”

Laub also attended because she wanted to hear the history of this carousel since it has been in the San Diego area for many years.

“I was not always here, and it all comes apart in pieces,” she said. “It’s huge, and now it’s in its forever home now… Everyone was happy and came to me and thanked me, that makes me feel like a peacock and feel good.”

Additionally, more than 500 other donors have given to the Dorothea Laub Balboa Park Carousel, for general operation, and the restoration project.

Laub a Lovely Lady

Laub is no stranger to giving to worthy causes and added, “I think I have 17 [charities] in this town going on now that I participate.”

A resident in San Diego for 44 years she continues to donate. “I love the park and everything to do with Balboa… I fund lots of different projects there, so many … I own real estate and properties and when I sell something, I get the money … and what am I going to do with it? I give it away and this is a way of giving it away. I put a tag on where it has to go.”

She is also the recipient of many awards, plaques, and other achievements because of her dedication to various projects – many historical over the decades.

For example, she is a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Save Our Heritage Organisation and is a People In Preservation honoree because of her “generous, accomplished, and influential San Diegans who are receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards, SOHO’s highest honor, for many decades of thoughtful public-spirited contributions.”

A recent SOHO newsletter said, “Laub’s endeavors make her possibly the most steadfast donor and champion of historic restoration projects in San Diego since the cultural preservation benefactors of the early 20th century.”

Her work is geared toward the restoration of Balboa Park’s historic buildings and landscapes, the historic buildings of Liberty Station Arts District, and Point Loma Village restorations.

“Her moral and donor support during the Save The Cabrillo Bridge campaign showed just how deep her love of the park is,” the newsletter said. “She has a remarkable gift for recognizing why people need significant historic places in their lives and stepping up.”

Other projects Laub completed include replicating a 1935 Palm Canyon pedestrian bridge that had been lost in Balboa Park to renovating and revitalizing the 1911 Point Loma Assembly. In Balboa Park, she is currently funding a new HVAC system in the San Diego Automotive Museum as the facility is updated to better serve visitors.

Carousel’s history

As for the historical carousel named in honor of Laub, it earned a Historical Resources Designation by the city of San Diego’s Historical Resources Board in 2021 along with the adjacent Kiddie Ride.

On National Carousel Day 2022, it was officially renamed the Dorothea Laub Balboa Park Carousel in recognition of Laub’s significant support of the community treasure.

On July 25, the carousel was opened to the public for National Carousel Day 2023, made possible by Forever Balboa Park, Heritage Architecture & Planning, Mark Sauer Construction, Inc., and many individual supporters.

According to Craig Batrez, Forever Balboa Park’s vice president of facilities and operations, the lead of the project team and contractors, “It took close to six months to complete the structural restoration, which included structural enhancements, removing the hanging triangle eaves from the roofline, a new tile roof, and painting the exterior building. The building that houses the carousel is also more than 100 years old, so this project helped ensure the carousel will operate for generations to come.”

It was no easy feat to renovate the 100-year-old carousel, but it was done thanks to a large number of people and now has 52 animal rides and four chariots, for a total of 64 seats.

The entire exterior building of the Laub Carousel was structurally solidified, and the project included additional superficial changes that make the building more historically accurate to its 1910 version.

“In my opinion, the Balboa Park Carousel is an icon here in Balboa Park. I have heard some older folks say that it is magical and a happy place to be and the vibe brings people together from all generations and cultures. This project ensures that legacy,” Batrez said.

Forever Balboa Park hired Heritage Architecture and Planning, a company that specializes in historic restoration, and Sauer Construction to complete the project, he said.

“Separately, Balboa Park Carousel volunteers work on an ongoing basis to repaint and restore the 52 original carousel animals on the Balboa Park Carousel. Volunteers strip off old paint and repaint the animals and chariots with historical intention. Animals and chariots are restored when needed,” Batrez said.

More to Complete

There is one more phase of the project to complete before the renovation is finished but the carousel is already open.

“We will be strengthening 12 roof beams and adding a fire suppression system,” Batrez said. “It will now stay at Balboa Park. It is really special to have such an old carousel in Balboa Park and San Diego.”

As Laub said, while it had a few homes like Coronado at one point, the original Balboa Park Carousel was built in 1910 in North Tonawanda, NY, by Herschell-Spillman Co. and was brought to Balboa Park in 1922.

“All of the animal rides, except four mini horses that were added in the 1960s and the carousel’s murals, are original,” Batrez said.

Bill Brown, the carousel manager, has been working at the carousel for 50 years and many say the way he and his team operate and maintain the carousel is almost exactly the same as it was intended in 1910.

“It’s because of that careful maintenance that has kept the carousel operating in San Diego for more than 100 years. It’s something that has brought joy to generations of Balboa Park visitors and we’re proud to continue that legacy,” Batrez said.

Carousels have proven to have lasting power in the community.

“The Balboa Park Carousel continues to serve thousands of visitors each year. Just this Tuesday, for National Carousel Day (July 25), we had more than 2,000 riders and hosted an estimated 3,000 visitors. People of all ages love the carousel, and that’s proven through ridership, volunteerism, and our generous donors,” Batrez said. “We recognize how much people care for this attraction, and we want to ensure the community has the opportunity to continue experiencing joy at the Balboa Park Carousel for generations to come.”

For those interested in experiencing the historic ride for themselves, it is $4 per ride and four rides for $14.