Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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78 THE AMUSEMENTS In 1870, one of the most popular rides at The Wil- lows was Brown's Flying Horses carousel. Joseph Brown, a native of Bavaria, has been credited with making all of the hand-carved and painted animals, and even using real horsehair for tails. He is also said to have built a minia- ture village at the center of the carousel and used a pipe organ for musical accompaniment. At first, the carousel was turned manually, then by a mule, and ultimately by a steam-driven engine. It ran for 70 years until the horses were sold in 1945 to Macy's department store for their Christmas display. Eventually, the carousel gave way to a Tilt-A- Whirl, one of the world's smallest roller coasters, a helicopter ride, and a miniature train. By century's end, these, too, were things of the past. (A new carousel was installed on The Line in 1993, with re- painted cast-aluminum animals.) Other major attractions were The Willows Park Theatre and a water chute at the intersection of Fort and Columbus Avenues. Whether a seasoned goer or a first-time visitor, be sure to look at The Willows through the lens of history—it's all the more ap- preciable. in-depth PLACES CONTACT Salem Willows Park 167 Fort Ave. Salem 978-741-4600 salemwillowspark.com E. W. Hobbs 205/207 Fort Ave. Salem 978-745-7691 Salem Lowe 197 Fort Ave. Salem 978-744-6132 Jim McAllister 978-979-5907 Salem derbysquaretours.com Rides were part of the fun and still are. Photographs courtesy of The Willows