Griffins and Winged Beasts, Looff Carousel - Pawtucket, RI
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 41° 52.287 W 071° 20.620
19T E 305506 N 4638159
Take a ride with these griffin and winged beasts on one of the fastest carousels built!
Waymark Code: WMCFH5
Location: Rhode Island, United States
Date Posted: 09/01/2011
Views: 10
In Pawtucket, within Slater Park, is an old carousel, with a 'sled' that has carvings of griffins and winged beasts.
The carousel is one of the oldest in the country. It was built by Charles I. D. Looff in 1894, and it was moved to the present park in 1910. To my knowledge, all the rides on the carousel are original. Instead of mechanisms that cause horses to go up and down, the carousel goes faster than the usual carousel. So you might be feeling like you're flying while in the sled!
Slater Park is run by Pawtucket and has several facilities, including a 'farm' and a watercolor gallery. The park is free to enter, and the carousel is only a quarter to ride (so, buy some popcorn or something to support its maintenance!).
The sled is among the horses and other animals. The wood for the sled is stained dark brown. One-sided griffins - though they don't have wings - appear at the front, while dog-like winged beasts appear in the rear, sitting and facing forward. Uneven applications of the stain form tone to define muscles, while wings, horns and other parts are painted gold and silver.
Griffins are a mythical being that is said to be a merging of a lion and an eagle, and according to the legends were king of all creatures. They are said to possess great powers and guard treasures and great possessions. Their likenesses appeared as early as 3300 BC in Egypt, but was particularly prominent in Greek and central Asian artifacts. They were also present in Medieval art and were common symbols in heraldry.
Sources:
Wikipedia (Griffin):
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visit link)
Pawtucket Web Site (Park and Rec Dept.):
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visit link)