1. sports
2. horse racing

Whose Hoofs
at the
Looff ?
Meet the Carrousel Horses
Riverfront Park — Spokane, Washington
The Riverfront Park Looff Carrousel is
dedicated to Spokane’s children. This
1909 working antique endures much
wear and tear every year. Maintenance
and restoration for this historic treasure
often exceeds the city’s regular budget.
The Looff Carrousel was designed especially for
Spokane’s Natatorium Park. In 1909, famed
carver Charles I.D. Looff personally delivered
the marvelous machine with fifty-four horses,
one giraffe, one tiger and two stationary chariots.
“The Nat” closed in 1968, but in 1975, after restoration, Looff’s carrousel found a permanent
home at Spokane’s Riverfront Park.
If you would like to help, please donate
to the address below. Your gift could ensure our childrens’ children’s children
can ride the horses and reach for the
brass ring.
Thank you.
Send donations to:
Spokane Antique Carrousel Society
C/o Riverfront Park
507 N. Howard
Spokane, WA 99201
To learn more about the carrousel and its
history visit www.spokanecarrousel.org.
Published by: Collaborative Solutions
� 2004, All Rights Reserved.
24
Looff developed the Coney Island Style, spirited horses
Resources:
carved
in moving poses, with wildly flowing manes, and
trappings decorated with mirrors and imported cut glass
Bette Largent, Carousel Consultants, Spokane.
jewels.
Each horse is different in detail, yet has the same
President, National Carrousel Association, 2004-2006
number of nails in its shoes. He also used authentic
horsehair tails. Looff’s studio employed master craftsmen
Recreation
andSpokane
togetherParks
they and
fleshed
out hisDepartment,
elaborate designs.
Riverfront Park.
Spokane’s Looff figures have been named after local persons or by supportive donors; some were christened by
talented restoration artists. Let’s meet the horses behind
the hoofs.
1
Oliver’s Pride
ParrotHorse
Index
Gears move the carrousel counterclockwise. This
also allows riders to reach for the brass ring with
their right hand. The outside row is ridden more
often, gets more attention and was thePage
first group
to receive names. Riders have also attached their
20
own names toAthena
their favorite horses.
The Parrot Horse got his name
from the parrot under the back
edge of his saddle, but it wasn't
always a parrot. During restoration, gold and brown paint
was found on his feathers; he may have been an
eagle at one time. But for now, he's a red-headed
parrot, sometimes called a pareagle (half parrot,
half eagle).
19-Tina
18-Athena
17-Daisy
Oliver’s Pride honors carrousel manager Charles
William Oliver who was greatly responsible for saving Spokane’s Looff. In his youth Bill worked at the
carrousel and by 1965 became Natatorium Park’s
manager. When the park closed in 1968 all rides except the carrousel were sold. Bill managed its dismantling and storage. With the help of grassroots
fundraising, the city bought the carrousel and placed
it in Riverfront Park after the ’74 Expo. Bill personally supervised restoration and installation. On May
8, 1975 he rang the bell, the organ sounded and children once again reached for the brass ring. Sadly, he
passed away just six days later.
22
2
Bing
16
Casper
8
Chastity
7
Cisco 1-Geri
10
20-Parrot
Giraffe
2-Hunter 19
Daisy
Horse
3-Oliver's
Duke of Earl
18
Pride
Geri Giraffe
12
Hunter
4 4-Snow
Dancer
Liberty
14
Looffun
6
5-Looffun
Oliver’s Pride
2
Parrot Horse
22
6-Chastity
Prince
15
Rainbow Warrior
9
7-Casper
Scout
17
Sneaky
138-Rainbow
Snow Dancer
5 Warrior
Tina
21
9-Cisco
Warrior
11
Row numbers and Figure Names:
16-Earl
15-Scout
14-Bing
13-Prince
12-Liberty
11-Sneaky
the Tiger
10-Warrior
23
3
Athena
Goddess of
Beauty
Hunter
Athena is the most photographed horse on the
Hunter carries the fruit of the hunt, a pheasant, beLooff carrousel. She has a galloping profile, peekhind the saddle. Prior to current restoration the
a-boo mane, lots of gold detail and a colorful
bird was painted like a psychedelic chicken. A
flower-filled cantle. Europeans brought the carrou1975 photo provided the historically accurate
sels to America and loved mythology, so Athena,
model for restoration artists.
Goddess of Beauty, is fitting for this striking
horse.
her limited
Snow
was after
nameda atblonde
Tina Dancer
is named
sorreledition
pony deonce
but,
during
the
winter
of
1995-96
when
Spokane
owned and loved by the carrousel’s bookkeeper.
had record snowfalls. Her leg positions looked like
she
in the snow.
a wonderful restoration
A could
photo be
of dancing
Tina provided
reference
Looff
was. the first known designer of these
closed-mouth sweet-faced horses. He disliked
fierce horse carvings
with hanging tongues,
said they frightened
the children.
Tina
Snow
Dancer
20
4
21
5
Looffun
is named for the CarDuke ofLooffun
rousel he's ridden for so many
In 1992, restorers disEarl years.
covered he was originally a
bay (dark-brown with black
tail), but few riders chose the repainted very dark
horse, so he was changed back to a chocolate pinto
During
Earl's
plastered
maneHe’s
required
and
nowrestoration,
gets his fair
share
of riders.
Geri
tedious
chipping
before
sanding
could
begin.
The
Sperling’s favorite horse.
artist heard an oldies radio station play The Duke
(Geri,
as in
Gericoncluded
Giraffe, is that
a retired
school teacher
of Earl
and
a carrousel
withanda
Lloyd Vogel’s stepdaughter. The carrousel was a wedding
Prince should also have a Duke or an Earl. He is a
gift from Charles I.D. Looff to his daughter Emma and sonpopular
horse
withTheir
his son,
tucked
head
andand
daisy-clad
in law, Louis
Vogel.
Lloyd,
owned
managed
saddle
blanket.
the carrousel until his death in 1965.)
Chastity, or purity, is a very white horse named by
Bette Largent, Looff’s on-staff restorer. When first
painted, Chastity was much whiter than the other
horses.
She’s
a lady Horse.
with a prim
head position,
and
Daisy, the
Wishing
if
Natatorium
lore said,
saddle
carries
cantle,
a
making
cherub
on
her
her
you got the Brass Ring while riding Daisy, your
name
the perfect
wish would
comefit.
true.
Daisy
Chastity is carved in the
There are daisies on
George Washington style,
the blanket, but her
realistic and elegant.
name also honors
Daisy, Bill Oliver’s
wife, who sold tickets
at The Nat for many
years.
Chastity
18
6
19
7
Bing
Casper
Casper’s
namehisisfamily
even
the ghost
horse
Yes,
Bing second
Crosby and
rode the
carrousel
though
he
has
a
cherub
under
his
saddle
cantle.
during his youthful hometown Spokane years. This
Carousel
“jinxcone
horse”
lorebing
said cherries,
he was the
a pine
horse
carries
andbecause
plums.
he doesn’t
jump high
enough
in the carrousel
rotaor closed-mouth
style
of
Looff
originated
the sweet
tion fora most
grabforthe
brassriders.
ring.
horse,
calm riders
gentletolook
young
Rainbow Warrior was named by a major donor for
the carrousel’s 1907 Ruth Band Organ restoration.
The name refers to the rainbow of colors on his
front
piecenamed
and theformedieval
Scout breast
is a pinto
Tonto’s Turkish
horse inwarthe
rior
dress
trappings.
Lone Ranger series which began on 1930’s radio
and
into War1950’s
Beforecarried
restoration,
Television.
rior's fruit was painted as
apples and oranges, but
His clipped
a style
their
shapesmane
are is
peaches
used
today
by
western
quarand pears and have been
ter horses.
painted
correctly.
Scout
Rainbow
Warrior
16
8
17
9
Cisco
Miss Liberty
Looff brought his carrousel to Spokane adorned
Cisco
looksandto four
the Miss
with flags
sky,
on star
the gazer
Ruth pose.
and
Liberty’s
carved
in the
Son Band Organ façade.
Looff came
the USA
Spokane
loretolabeled
himfor
the
the freedom
and liberty
bellyache
horse
becauseof-of
fered
here. Liberty
his
upturned
head. displays
our flag’s colors.
Like his namesake in the
A
riderDances
favorite,
Liberty
required
strucmovie
with
Wolves,
Cisco isextensive
a buckskin.
tural
restoration
in 1992.
Thehiswood
netting
Spokane’s
only mirror
horse,
trapping
detailand
is
badly
most
worn.
of
She
her
is
detail
an off
was
carved on both sides, not just the romance,
or
balance horse
spectator
side. with a longer back than front, tilting
to the rear. This gives her the look of speed, especially with her lunging, outstretched neck.
horse.inHis
Lead,horse,
or King
Looff originated
Warrior
Trojan
is a HelenThe
style
of Troy
of
King
children
Arthur
loved
and
the
stories
with roached mane, a formal style with military
the Round(pistol).
Table. This horse is an American
trappings
Creme draft horse, the kind used to pull fire trucks.
Traditionally the Lead or King is the fanciest
From
nearwith
a Brooklyn
firearmor
station,
horsehisonfirst
thefactory
carrousel,
elaborate
Looff
and his master
carvers fanciful, medieval
and decorative,
sometimes
heard
bells
clang
and
trappings.
watched lunging horses pull
fire
fight iswars
on
Thetrucks
Lead toHorse
an outfire—clearly
the
inspiration
side horse usually placed on
forrow
this13.
carving style.
Warrior
Prince
10
14
15
11
Menagerie Figure:
An animal other than a horse.
SneakytheTiger
Sneaky is extremely rare, one of only three
sneaky or prowling tigers in the carrousel
industry. Spokane’s is the only sneaky still on
display and the only one still ridden on an
operating carrousel.
GeriGiraffe
Geri Giraffe is named for Geri Sperling. She leads
outer ring row 1, and is the oldest figure on the
carrousel, estimated to have been carved around
1895 by Looff himself. The floating saddle and
mirrored jewels are typical of his early works.
Looff created ten giraffes, and Geri’s one of his
medium-sized carvings.
12
Because tigers’ heads are heavy, most are carved
in the uplifted position. Looff solved the weight
problem by using walnut construction from the
nose to the back of the saddle.
Sneaky’s stripes give him the
look of a real tiger, but
restorer Bette Largent gave
him a pink kitty-nose and long
eye lashes so he would
present a friendly face to his
young riders.
13
Cisco
Miss Liberty
Looff brought his carrousel to Spokane adorned
Cisco
looksandto four
the Miss
with flags
sky,
on star
the gazer
Ruth pose.
and
Liberty’s
carved
in the
Son Band Organ façade.
Looff came
the USA
Spokane
loretolabeled
himfor
the
the freedom
and liberty
bellyache
horse
becauseof-of
fered
here. Liberty
his
upturned
head. displays
our flag’s colors.
Like his namesake in the
A
riderDances
favorite,
Liberty
required
strucmovie
with
Wolves,
Cisco isextensive
a buckskin.
tural
restoration
in 1992.
Thehiswood
netting
Spokane’s
only mirror
horse,
trapping
detailand
is
badly
most
worn.
of
She
her
is
detail
an off
was
carved on both sides, not just the romance,
or
balance horse
spectator
side. with a longer back than front, tilting
to the rear. This gives her the look of speed, especially with her lunging, outstretched neck.
horse.inHis
Lead,horse,
or King
Looff originated
Warrior
Trojan
is a HelenThe
style
of Troy
of
King
children
Arthur
loved
and
the
stories
with roached mane, a formal style with military
the Round(pistol).
Table. This horse is an American
trappings
Creme draft horse, the kind used to pull fire trucks.
Traditionally the Lead or King is the fanciest
From
nearwith
a Brooklyn
firearmor
station,
horsehisonfirst
thefactory
carrousel,
elaborate
Looff
and his master
carvers fanciful, medieval
and decorative,
sometimes
heard
bells
clang
and
trappings.
watched lunging horses pull
fire
fight iswars
on
Thetrucks
Lead toHorse
an outfire—clearly
the
inspiration
side horse usually placed on
forrow
this13.
carving style.
Warrior
Prince
10
14
15
11
Bing
Casper
Casper’s
namehisisfamily
even
the ghost
horse
Yes,
Bing second
Crosby and
rode the
carrousel
though
he
has
a
cherub
under
his
saddle
cantle.
during his youthful hometown Spokane years. This
Carousel
“jinxcone
horse”
lorebing
said cherries,
he was the
a pine
horse
carries
andbecause
plums.
he doesn’t
jump high
enough
in the carrousel
rotaor closed-mouth
style
of
Looff
originated
the sweet
tion fora most
grabforthe
brassriders.
ring.
horse,
calm riders
gentletolook
young
Rainbow Warrior was named by a major donor for
the carrousel’s 1907 Ruth Band Organ restoration.
The name refers to the rainbow of colors on his
front
piecenamed
and theformedieval
Scout breast
is a pinto
Tonto’s Turkish
horse inwarthe
rior
dress
trappings.
Lone Ranger series which began on 1930’s radio
and
into War1950’s
Beforecarried
restoration,
Television.
rior's fruit was painted as
apples and oranges, but
His clipped
a style
their
shapesmane
are is
peaches
used
today
by
western
quarand pears and have been
ter horses.
painted
correctly.
Scout
Rainbow
Warrior
16
8
17
9
Looffun
is named for the CarDuke ofLooffun
rousel he's ridden for so many
In 1992, restorers disEarl years.
covered he was originally a
bay (dark-brown with black
tail), but few riders chose the repainted very dark
horse, so he was changed back to a chocolate pinto
During
Earl's
plastered
maneHe’s
required
and
nowrestoration,
gets his fair
share
of riders.
Geri
tedious
chipping
before
sanding
could
begin.
The
Sperling’s favorite horse.
artist heard an oldies radio station play The Duke
(Geri,
as in
Gericoncluded
Giraffe, is that
a retired
school teacher
of Earl
and
a carrousel
withanda
Lloyd Vogel’s stepdaughter. The carrousel was a wedding
Prince should also have a Duke or an Earl. He is a
gift from Charles I.D. Looff to his daughter Emma and sonpopular
horse
withTheir
his son,
tucked
head
andand
daisy-clad
in law, Louis
Vogel.
Lloyd,
owned
managed
saddle
blanket.
the carrousel until his death in 1965.)
Chastity, or purity, is a very white horse named by
Bette Largent, Looff’s on-staff restorer. When first
painted, Chastity was much whiter than the other
horses.
She’s
a lady Horse.
with a prim
head position,
and
Daisy, the
Wishing
if
Natatorium
lore said,
saddle
carries
cantle,
a
making
cherub
on
her
her
you got the Brass Ring while riding Daisy, your
name
the perfect
wish would
comefit.
true.
Daisy
Chastity is carved in the
There are daisies on
George Washington style,
the blanket, but her
realistic and elegant.
name also honors
Daisy, Bill Oliver’s
wife, who sold tickets
at The Nat for many
years.
Chastity
18
6
19
7
Athena
Goddess of
Beauty
Hunter
Athena is the most photographed horse on the
Hunter carries the fruit of the hunt, a pheasant, beLooff carrousel. She has a galloping profile, peekhind the saddle. Prior to current restoration the
a-boo mane, lots of gold detail and a colorful
bird was painted like a psychedelic chicken. A
flower-filled cantle. Europeans brought the carrou1975 photo provided the historically accurate
sels to America and loved mythology, so Athena,
model for restoration artists.
Goddess of Beauty, is fitting for this striking
horse.
her limited
Snow
was after
nameda atblonde
Tina Dancer
is named
sorreledition
pony deonce
but,
during
the
winter
of
1995-96
when
Spokane
owned and loved by the carrousel’s bookkeeper.
had record snowfalls. Her leg positions looked like
she
in the snow.
a wonderful restoration
A could
photo be
of dancing
Tina provided
reference
Looff
was. the first known designer of these
closed-mouth sweet-faced horses. He disliked
fierce horse carvings
with hanging tongues,
said they frightened
the children.
Tina
Snow
Dancer
20
4
21
5
Oliver’s Pride
ParrotHorse
Index
Gears move the carrousel counterclockwise. This
also allows riders to reach for the brass ring with
their right hand. The outside row is ridden more
often, gets more attention and was thePage
first group
to receive names. Riders have also attached their
20
own names toAthena
their favorite horses.
The Parrot Horse got his name
from the parrot under the back
edge of his saddle, but it wasn't
always a parrot. During restoration, gold and brown paint
was found on his feathers; he may have been an
eagle at one time. But for now, he's a red-headed
parrot, sometimes called a pareagle (half parrot,
half eagle).
19-Tina
18-Athena
17-Daisy
Oliver’s Pride honors carrousel manager Charles
William Oliver who was greatly responsible for saving Spokane’s Looff. In his youth Bill worked at the
carrousel and by 1965 became Natatorium Park’s
manager. When the park closed in 1968 all rides except the carrousel were sold. Bill managed its dismantling and storage. With the help of grassroots
fundraising, the city bought the carrousel and placed
it in Riverfront Park after the ’74 Expo. Bill personally supervised restoration and installation. On May
8, 1975 he rang the bell, the organ sounded and children once again reached for the brass ring. Sadly, he
passed away just six days later.
22
2
Bing
16
Casper
8
Chastity
7
Cisco 1-Geri
10
20-Parrot
Giraffe
2-Hunter 19
Daisy
Horse
3-Oliver's
Duke of Earl
18
Pride
Geri Giraffe
12
Hunter
4 4-Snow
Dancer
Liberty
14
Looffun
6
5-Looffun
Oliver’s Pride
2
Parrot Horse
22
6-Chastity
Prince
15
Rainbow Warrior
9
7-Casper
Scout
17
Sneaky
138-Rainbow
Snow Dancer
5 Warrior
Tina
21
9-Cisco
Warrior
11
Row numbers and Figure Names:
16-Earl
15-Scout
14-Bing
13-Prince
12-Liberty
11-Sneaky
the Tiger
10-Warrior
23
3
The Riverfront Park Looff Carrousel is
dedicated to Spokane’s children. This
1909 working antique endures much
wear and tear every year. Maintenance
and restoration for this historic treasure
often exceeds the city’s regular budget.
If you would like to help, please donate
to the address below. Your gift could ensure our childrens’ children’s children
can ride the horses and reach for the
brass ring.
blank page
Thank you.
Send donations to:
Spokane Antique Carrousel Society
C/o Riverfront Park
507 N. Howard
Spokane, WA 99201
To learn more about the carrousel and its
history visit www.spokanecarrousel.org.
Published by: Collaborative Solutions
� 2004, All Rights Reserved.
Resources:
Bette Largent, Carousel Consultants, Spokane.
President, National Carrousel Association, 2004-2006
Spokane Parks and Recreation Department,
Riverfront Park.