COLORADO SPRINGS — As the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo) gets ready to welcome visitors both new and old for the summer season, there now awaits a historical attraction filled with fun and tunes for all ages to enjoy.

A growing line could be spotted at the zoo on Thursday morning, as many eagerly waited to see the carousel in action. Members of the zoo gathered to mark the official reopening of the historic carousel made by The Allan Herschell Company in 1926.

“The carousel was originally built in 1926, the same year that the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo opened, but it was brought to the zoo in 1937 by the zoo’s founder, Spencer Penrose,” said Bob Chastain, CMZoo President and CEO, said. “The carousel was a popular attraction at the 1933 Century of Progress fair in Chicago, Illinois.”

The carousel was originally built in 1926, and was brought to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in 1937.

The carousel needed to be broken down as a new road is being constructed west of the main entrance and will also make way for the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe building.

“Historically, the road is driven right through the front entry of the zoo,” Chastain explained. “It makes it rare, almost no other zoo in the world I know of has that, but that roads service is the shrine and so people can drive through the zoo. So, we felt, we would like to move that up to a little bit more of a central location so that your visit at the beginning of the zoo is uninterrupted.”

Thanks to the help of one striped skunk, a banner was visible for all zoo visitors to see reading ‘Spencer Penrose first saw this carousel at the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago.’ On the carousel, a group of smiling kids eagerly waited for the signal marking the first ride.

“Our first ceremonial ride has been given to some of the summer camp kids,” Chastain said. “As soon as they’re done, the zoo will be open to give free rides all day long.”

For some Cheyenne Mountain Zoo visitors, they waited almost a year for the ride to reopen. These two riders held on during the first ride of the day.

The sign free rides caught the attention of many visitors, while others were keeping a close eye out on when the carousel would reopen.

“We’re members of the zoo, so my husband, he gets emails, and they sent us an email that they would be doing free rides today,” Cassandra Fangmeier said. “We’ve been waiting, like, all year for the carousel to open back up.”

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo recognized the historical value and significance of this attraction as there is estimated to be less than 150 of these hand-carved wooden carousels left in the United States and Canada made by the Allan Herschell Company.

It was worth the wait for Cassandra Fangmeier and her daughter Talula, who spent the morning taking several spins on the renowned ride.

“I thought it was awesome,” Fangemeier said. “It felt just like old times. We just love the classic horse carousel. I don’t know, we really like it. I think the best part is the little band thing in the middle is working now, so you get to watch it play the drums and stuff, which we really like.”

Tunes from the carousel organ echoed throughout the ride, bringing a nostalgic feel to the attraction.

CMZoo worked with a carousel horse expert in Larkspur to help repair the cracked horses along with restoring the organ.

For one 9-year-old, Jaydcia Featherstone she was smiling ear to ear after getting off the ride. She said, “It was really fun. I went high and my baby sister went high, too.”

Smiles were shared between family members whether they were cheering them on or were the ones going around for a spin.

At the next visit to the CMZoo do not forget to make a stop by this noteworthy carnival attraction as there are estimated to be fewer than 150 hand-carved wooden carousels made by The Allan Herschell Company in the United States and Canada.