Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 2 3 66 extremely annoying to him—he even heard it in his sleep until he learned how to block it out! Still, it sometimes seeped through his consciousness and into the background of his nightmares. "Thanks for reminding me," he said. Another friend, who is an artist, never wanted to ride a horse that went up and down. She didn't like the height or the up and down motion. She preferred to ride on the lion or tiger or the chariots. On the other hand, her younger (tiny and fearless) sister would try to climb on the horse's head to grab a brass ring. Missing will be the brass rings dis- penser, which was removed in 1985 primarily for safety reasons. Today, you might find a few of these rings for sale on eBay. Later this fall, when I see this restored car- ousel spinning and shining in its brand- new home, I'll be watching the chil- dren and even my own grand and great-grandchildren making happy, new memories. Perhaps I'll even saddle-up again myself and ride down a long-lost summer in Seaside Heights. u The Dr. Floyd L. Moreland Carousel is located on the boardwalk between Sampson and Carteret Avenues in the beautiful, new Seaside Heights Carousel Pavilion building. The building will also include spaces dedicated to the history of the carousel and Seaside Heights local history. The museum will tell the story of Seaside Heights through a collection of photographs and videos, historical docu- ments, vintage postcards, artifacts, and interactive digital exhibits. The grand opening is scheduled to be during the 2023 Christmas holiday season. Please visit www.seaside-heightsnj.org or www. exit82.com for a date and more information. Frank Finale is the author of the coffee table books "To The Shore Once More, Volumes I - III" and the children's books "A Gull's Story, Parts 1 - 3." He is also coeditor of the anthologies "Under A Gull's Wing" and "The Poets of New Jersey." Please refer to pages 6 - 9 as well as www.jerseyshorebooks.com and www.frankfinale.com for more information about his books and appearances. HOME PORT W hile strolling the Seaside Heights boardwalk between Sampson and Carteret Avenues, I notice a newly constructed building painted nautical blue with white trim and a sign that says "Carousel Pavilion." This is the new home of the 114-year-old Dr. Floyd L. Moreland Carousel. Soon the sound of its 1924 Wurlitzer 146 Band Organ will lure me and others in. The organ operates by a pneumatic system using leather bellows and perforated paper rolls that play individual notes. In 1980, Dr. Floyd L. Moreland, local resident and retired Professor of Classics and a former Dean at The City University of New York, was instru- mental in restoring the badly deterio- rating Dentzel-Looff carousel. It had been a major attraction at the Seaside Heights boardwalk from 1937 until 2019 when it was operated for the last time. The carousel was dismantled, and the working mechanism and horses were shipped to a specialized shop in Marion, Ohio for a full refurbishment. Children and adults will once more be delighted by the fifty-three, newly painted horses (thirty-six jumping and seventeen standing), plus a lion, a tiger, a donkey, two camels, and two chariots, one of which is wheelchair accessible. Arranged around the center of the carousel will be meticulously hand-painted pictures copied from Seaside Heights postcards from the early 20th century. The golden bell will clang once more, and riders will get on board! The bell will sound twice as the carousel begins to turn; then sound three times more as it picks up speed. The shimmering bell will reflect distorted mirror images of the people standing and watching the menag- erie of animals spinning past. Not everyone has fond memories of a carousel. My friend, Mike, had a summer job at a pizza stand next to the old carousel and said the constant music became A Gift from the Past by Frank Finale The Dr. Floyd L. Moreland Carousel in Seaside Heights. The Dr. Floyd L. Moreland Carousel Will Soon Be Spinning Once Again Christopher Vaz

• Cover