Listen closely can you hear the joyous music echoing through Griffith Park? It’s coming from the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round a place where laughter and memories spin together. This isn’t just any carousel it’s a portal to simpler times. The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round has been delighting Angelenos for over 88 years.
Some of its horses date back to 1895 each with its unique personality. “Devil” is a black horse seemingly ready to kick while “Hannibal” sports a stubby unicorn horn. And then there’s “Isolde” a dappled beauty carved by Charles Looff. “Arthur” a pure white stallion even boasts a lion’s profile.
Imagine a time when a ride cost only a nickel. Even when the price rose to a quarter it was still a bargain. Retired Park Ranger Bill Eckert remembers riding the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round in the 1950s and 60s. He tried to grab rings from a chute. A gold ring meant a free ride.
Not all memories are carefree. The 1960s brought challenges. On Memorial Day in 1961 a group of Black youth protested the fare calling themselves “Freedom Riders”. Racial slurs from officers escalated the situation forcing the park to close. Later in the 60s Flower Children gathered around the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round. They painted their bodies and sometimes vandalized the carousel.
But the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round also saw peaceful gatherings. In 1980 about 500 fans honored John Lennon after his death. Families returned in droves. Little Annie Jewell rode a black horse in 1988 dressed in a red Santa outfit.
Julio Gosdinski a Peruvian immigrant became the heart of the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round. He started working there as a teenager. Owner Warren Deasy saw him as the son he never had. Gosdinski loved the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round. When Deasy died in 2011 Gosdinski inherited half ownership. He sold tickets ran the machinery and charmed everyone with his grin. He knew everyone and was proud of this ride. It was one of the oldest largest and fastest carousels around.
Jessie Simpson’s family loved the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round so much they restored a horse in her honor. “Jessie” a brown and white horse with a red bow became an ambassador for the carousel.
Sadly Julio Gosdinski passed away unexpectedly in 2020. The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round now faces an uncertain future. It has been closed for repairs since January 2022. The community hopes it will reopen. It is one of the few inexpensive activities left in Griffith Park.
The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round isn’t just a ride. It’s a symbol of joy resilience and community. It has appeared in movies and TV shows. Some say it even inspired Walt Disney to create Disneyland. We await the day the music starts again. We long to see the horses spinning and hear the laughter echoing once more.