There are many rides at the Seaside Heights boardwalk but the Floyd L. Moreland Carousel is also a work of art.

“Everyone who comes to see the carousel is happy,” said Joe Verderosa, president of the Seaside Heights Historical Society. “It’s just a joyful place.”

The carousel has 58 rideable animals including horses, donkeys, and lions. The ride is now ADA-accessible for the first time. Image courtesy of Darren Tobia.

The sense of joy that surrounds the carousel has been heightened lately after it became the newest landmark to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places after a vote from the State Review Board in November. This is the culmination of a decadelong fight to save it.

In 2014, Casino Pier — which owned an arcade along the boardwalk that housed the carousel — planned to auction off this landmark. But local residents rallied and the local government stepped in to acquire it.

Continue reading “Carousels are Increasingly Rare, But this One in Seaside Heights is Now a State Landmark” →