View source for Columbia Carousel

{{Short description|Two carousels in the United States}}
{{Infobox attraction
| name                = Columbia Carousel
| logo                = Columbia_Carousel_logo.png
| logo_width          = 150px
| image               = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Columbia Carousel at Six Flags Great America (2022).jpg
| photo2a = California's Great America 2.JPG
| size = 240
| spacing = 2
| position = center}}
| location            = California's Great America 
|altname=Carousel Columbia| section             = Celebration Plaza
| cost                = $1,500,000
| status = Operating
| soft_opened         = 
| opened              = {{Start date and age|1976|03|20}}
| closed              = 
| previousattraction  = <!--If there is an appropriate article, this should be linked.-->
| replacement         = <!--If there is an appropriate article, this should be linked.-->
| location2           = Six Flags Great America
|altname2=Columbia Carousel| section2            = [[Six Flags Great America#Carousel Plaza|Carousel Plaza]] <!--Should be linked.-->
| cost2               = $1,500,000
| soft_opened2        = 
| opened2             = {{Start date and age|1976|05|29}}
| closed2             = 
| status2 = Operating
| previousattraction2 = <!--If there is an appropriate article, this should be linked.-->
| replacement2        = <!--If there is an appropriate article, this should be linked.-->
| type                = [[Carousel]]
| manufacturer        = Chance Rides <!--Must not be linked.-->
| designer            = <!--Should be linked.-->
| model               = Double-Decker Carousel
| theme               = <!--Should be linked.-->
| height_ft           = 100-101

| capacity            = 
<!--Use only one of vehicles, rows, participants, or audience-->
| vehicles            = Over 100
| riders_per_vehicle  = 1 per animal; 6 per bench
| duration            = 
| restriction_ft      = <!--Must be expressed in feet and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| restriction_in      = <!--Must be expressed in inches and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| restriction_cm      = <!--Must be expressed in centimetres and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| virtual_queue_name  = 
| virtual_queue_image = <!--Use ONLY the filename, not a full [[Image:]] link-->
| virtual_queue_status= <!--should be available if above fields are used-->
| single_rider        = <!--Must be "available" if available.-->
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}}
'''Columbia Carousel''' or '''Carousel Columbia'''{{Efn|Columbia Carousel is the name used at Six Flags Great America; Carousel Columbia is used at California's Great America.|group=note}} are a pair of double-decker [[carousel]]s at [[Six Flags Great America]] in [[Gurnee, Illinois]], and [[California's Great America]] in [[Santa Clara, California]]. Both parks were originally built by the [[Marriott International|Marriott]] hotel chain as sister properties but they were later sold off and now are both owned by [[Six Flags]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Mims |first=Jenae |date=2019-07-22 |title=Carousel Columbia--The World's Tallest Carousel |url=https://www.cagreatamerica.com/blog/2019/the-worlds-tallest-carousel |access-date=2022-08-25 |website=[[California's Great America]] |language=en}}</ref> To this date, Carousel Columbia (the California counterpart) is the world's tallest carousel (the Gurnee, Illinois version is a foot shorter).<ref>{{Cite web |title=worlds tallest carousel |url=https://greatamericanthrills.net/tag/worlds-tallest-carousel/ |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=Great American Thrills |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=World's tallest carousel|url=https://www.cagreatamerica.com/blog/2019/the-worlds-tallest-carousel#:~:text=Fun%20Facts%20about%20Carousel%20Columbia,carousel%20in%20Illinois%20is%20green. |website=California's Great America |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
The first ''Columbia'' opened in the [[Santa Clara, California|Santa Clara]] park in 1976 and the [[Gurnee, Illinois|Gurnee]] ''Columbia'' opened later that year. The carousel is known as ''Carousel Columbia'' at [[California's Great America]] and ''Columbia Carousel'' at [[Six Flags Great America]].<ref name="CGA-CC">{{cite web |author= |date= |title=Carousel Columbia |url=https://www.cagreatamerica.com/play/rides/carousel-columbia |accessdate=25 July 2017 |publisher=California's Great America}}</ref><ref name=6F-GA-CC />

In 1994, Santa Clara's ''Columbia'' received some minor renovations for its appearance in the movie ''[[Beverly Hills Cop III]]'', filmed at the theme park.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://greatamericanthrills.net/2014/03/03/beverly-hills-cop-3-filmed-at-great-america-20-years-ago/ |title=Beverly Hills Cop 3 Filmed at Great America 20 Years Ago |author=Rowberry, Kris |date=3 March 2014 |publisher=Great American Thrills |accessdate=25 July 2017}}</ref>

==Design==
The original design of the carousel, then named "The Columbia", was carried out by Randall Duell Associates. Additional scrollwork and decorations were designed by Chris Mueller.<ref name=PR-76 />

Each of the 103 horses and animals on the carousels is a replica of one of the world's most famous carved carousel animals.<ref name=6F-GA-CC>{{cite web |url=https://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/attractions/columbia-carousel |title=Columbia Carousel |author= |date= |publisher=Six Flags Great America |accessdate=25 July 2017}}</ref> A large reflecting pond was installed in front of each carousel with historic replicas of [[American flag]]s flying along the sides of the pond.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}

Sixteen original oil paintings by George Gibson are installed on each carousel, depicting scenes from American history.<ref name=6F-GA-CC /> Kris Rowberry publicized the fact, originally from the press release, that elements from ''Carousel Columbia'' were originally used on the sets of the films [[Marie Antoinette (1938 film)|''Marie Antoinette'']] (1938) and [[The Swan (1956 film)|''The Swan'']] (1956).<ref name=PR-76 /><ref name=GAT-140806 />

At {{convert|101|ft|abbr=on}} tall, the ''Carousel Columbia'' in Santa Clara is the tallest carousel in the world. The sister ''Columbia Carousel'' in Gurnee stands just one foot shorter at {{convert|100|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=GAT-140806>{{cite web |url=https://greatamericanthrills.net/2014/08/06/carousel-columbia-a-part-of-hollywood/ |title=Carousel Columbia at California's Great America is a part of Hollywood |author=Rowberry, Kris |date=6 August 2014 |publisher=Great American Thrills |accessdate=25 July 2017}}</ref> The two sister carousels may be distinguished by the color of the roof – the Carousel Columbia in California is painted gold, while the Columbia Carousel in Illinois is green – and the flooring – the upper-level of Gurnee's carousel has carpet, while Santa Clara's has a wood floor.<ref name=":0" />

The ''Columbia'' is often associated with the ''Carousel Song'', written especially for the Marriott's Great America theme parks by Gene Patrick. The Carousel Song plays at the Santa Clara park periodically throughout the day and plays at the Gurnee park when the park closes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-03-12 |title=Columbia |url=https://www.greatamericaparks.com/great-america-rides/columbia/ |access-date=2022-08-25 |website=GREATAMERICAparks.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Animals===
Seating on the carousel consists of the following 106 fiberglass replicas:<ref name=PR-76>{{cite press release |url=http://www.greatamericaparks.com/columbia2.html |title=The World's Grandest Carousel |author=Pomiriroo, John |date=1976 |publisher=Marriott's Great America |location=Santa Clara, California |accessdate=25 July 2017}}</ref>
{{div col |colwidth=25em |gap=2em}}
* 88 horses (82 jumping and 6 standing)
* 3 chariots
* 1 camel
* 1 giraffe
* 1 lion
* 1 tiger
* 1 dragon
* 1 deer
* 1 seahorse
* 2 jumping ostriches
* 2 jumping pigs
* 2 jumping cats
* 2 jumping rabbits
{{div col end}}

The horses include cavalry-style horses, Parker horses, [[Dentzel Carousel Company|Dentzel horses]], and the 1928 "Silver Anniversary Horse" originally carved for the 25th anniversary of the [[Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters|Philadelphia Toboggan Company]] (found on the Gurnee carousel only). The original 1928 armored horse is displayed in the [[Circus Hall of Fame]]. The chariots are replicas of chariots originally carved in 1918 by Daniel Carl Muller.<ref name=PR-76 />

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="180">
File:California's Great America (33927429306).jpg|Carousel Columbia at [[California's Great America]]
File:Reflecting Pool (3665260832).jpg|Columbia Carousel at [[Six Flags Great America]]
File:Aerial view of Great America.jpg|Carousel Columbia (2014)
File:Six Flags Great America 009 (6130502585).jpg|Columbia Carousel (2011)
File:California's Great America (27297673251).jpg|Carousel Columbia at night (2016)
File:Six Flags Great America (14696877699).jpg|Columbia Carousel at night (2014)
File:California's Great America (14341621502).jpg|Jumping horses on Carousel Columbia
File:Columbia Carousel Holiday in the Park.jpg|Columbia Carousel during Holiday in the Park (2020)
</gallery>

== Notes ==
<references group="note" responsive="0"></references>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{commons category|Carousel Columbia}}
* [https://www.cagreatamerica.com/rides-experiences/carousel-columbia Carousel Columbia at California's Great America]
* [https://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/attractions/columbia-carousel Columbia Carousel at Six Flags Great America]

{{GeoGroup}}

{{Six Flags Great America rides}}
{{California's Great America}}

[[Category:Carousels in California]]
[[Category:California's Great America]]
[[Category:Six Flags Great America]]
[[Category:Six Flags attractions]]
[[Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1976]]
[[Category:Amusement rides manufactured by Chance Rides]]