My family moved from Vermont to near New Haven, Connecticut in 1964. I was just starting to consider myself a photographer and I would often explore around the city with camera in hand. It was during one of those expeditions that I found the Savin Rock carousel. The way I was exploring around with my camera wasn’t too different from what I do now except that in those years I was rigidly dedicated to black-and-white photography, which actually was a shame with a subject as colorful as these horses.
I remember Savin Rock in two guises: a brightly colored hill of red clay that overlooked the city, and a desultory semi-abandoned amusement park that was on the water’s edge down in the dock area. It was there that I found this magnificent merry-go-round, known officially as PTC No. 21, which began its life in 1912.
The Golden Age of Savin Rock
In the early 1900s Savin Rock was a carousel lover’s paradise. Beginning in the 1870s, the resort attracted millions of visitors annually with its mile-long midway packed with roller coasters, fun houses, and an extraordinary collection of carousels. At its peak in 1919, Savin Rock welcomed 1.2 million visitors a year, rivaling even Coney Island.
The park was so rich in carousel history that it housed at least a dozen major carousels throughout its existence. But among all these magnificent machines, PTC No. 21 would become the most famous – affectionately known to generations of riders as the “Flying Horses“.
A Carousel is Born: 1912
The Philadelphia Toboggan Company manufactured PTC No. 21 in 1912, during the golden age of American carousel production. This wasn’t just any carousel – it was a four-row masterpiece that arrived at Savin Rock as part of Fred Wilcox’s Long Pier. The timing was perfect, as carousel innovation was revolutionizing the amusement industry. These were truly different times.
Just five years earlier, in 1907, the famous Murphy brothers had introduced “jumpers” – horses that moved up and down – to Savin Rock carousels. This innovation forced every other carousel owner to upgrade their rides to remain competitive, and Fred Wilcox’s decision to order the spectacular PTC No. 21 was likely a direct response to this carousel arms race.
Surviving Disaster: The 1936 Flood
PTC No. 21’s most dramatic chapter came in 1936 when a major hurricane hit New England, causing significant damage. For many antique rides, such destruction would have meant the end. But the beloved Flying Horses were too important to Savin Rock’s identity to abandon. The carousel underwent extensive restoration and triumphantly resumed operation in 1939, continuing to delight families for nearly three more decades.
The End of an Era
As the 1960s arrived, changing times and waterfront development began to threaten Savin Rock’s future. The grand amusement park that had survived the devastating 1938 hurricane and plans for 1950s expansion could not withstand the pressures of modernization. Savin Rock officially closed in 1966, and PTC No. 21 took its final spins at its original home in 1967, the year I took these pictures.
“1912-PTC-21-4-Row-Carousel-Savin-Rock-Amusement-Park.” Carouselhistory.Com, n.d. Accessed October 21, 2025. https://carouselhistory.com/west-haven-looks-to-bring-historic-carousel-back-to-savin-rock/1912-ptc-21-4-row-carousel-savin-rock-amusement-park/.
Six Flags Wiki. “Grand American Carousel.” October 20, 2025. https://sixflags.fandom.com/wiki/Grand_American_Carousel.
Various. “A Brief History of the Carosel and Other Topics.” 1985. https://carousels.org/CRG/NCA_Carousel_Resource_Guide005.pdf.
WHVoice. “Historian’s Corner.” West Haven Voice, April 26, 2018. https://westhavenvoice.com/historians-corner-47/.
WHVoice. “Historian’s Corner.” West Haven Voice, May 3, 2018. https://westhavenvoice.com/historians-corner-48/.
What a gorgeous carousel. I understand why you want it in colour, but I love the black and white. Reminds me of the one you refer to in Central Park indeed. There’s another vintage one in Brooklyn now too just across the Bridge. What’s not to love about them? Here’s wishing you and Beth a beautiful Christmas and a hopeful New Year.