C.W. Parker Carousel Museum

The Leavenworth Historical Museum Association is proud of the nationally known C.W. Parker Carousel Museum located in the small river town of Leavenworth with a big and proud past.
The C.W. Parker Carousel Museum offers group tours that include video, exhibits and a ride on the
Hours: Thursday - Saturday 11 AM – 5 PM, Sunday 1 PM - 5 PM
History of the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum
Opened in 2005, the museum building offers the following:
Carousels that are historically registered
Several restored carousel horses
C.W. Parker cylinder piano
Wurlitzer 153 band organ
Rides on a 106-year-old carousel
Charles Wallace Parker (C.W. Parker) manufactured his first Carry-Us-All amusement ride in 1898. This invention was such a success that his quickly growing company in Abilene was moved to Leavenworth, KS. Today, his carousels are still lovingly enjoyed by young and old alike.
The Carousels in Our Museum
1913 Carousel
Our 1913 Parker Carry-Us-All #118 was purchased in 1997. Eight years later and after many dedicated hours of volunteer labor, it operated for the first time in April 2005. This could not have been accomplished without our wonderful volunteers! All of the horses and rabbits were in poor condition. So all were stripped of their old
Liberty Carousel
The C.W. Parker Carousel Museum acquired a second carousel in August 2001. It took a year to restore. The Liberty has 20 aluminum horses and two benches in brightly painted colors, giving it the ability to hold 24 people. This 1950s machine was built by Paul Parker, son of C.W. Parker. It is uniquely
Primitive Carousel
This Primitive Carousel, circa 1850-1860, is owned by the National Carousel Association and is on permanent loan to the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum. It is the oldest operating wooden carousel in the United States. It last operated in a city park in Baltimore in 1920. It was purchased by the National Carousel Association from a Sands Point Preserve Museum in Long Island, NY, in 1998. We do not know who built this carousel. Each horse is made from eight pieces of wood. There is no carving detail on the horses; all details are painted on. The eyes are made of rivets, the ears are leather, and the manes and tails are real