The Broome County Historical Society presents “Carousels of Broome County” on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 6:45 p.m. with light refreshments at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be in the Decker Community Room of the Broome County Library, 185 Court St., Binghamton. The meeting is free and open to the public.
Whether you call them carousels or merry-go-rounds, they are precious treasures in our community. Learn more about what makes them so special and why they have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From 1919-1934, shoe manufacturer and benefactor George F. Johnson donated six beautiful carousels to our local parks. Of the 150 wood-carved carousels remaining in the U.S. and Canada, six are in Broome County. And the ride is still always free because Johnson felt “Carousels should be enjoyed by everyone.”
Janet Ottman, historian for the Village of Johnson City, will take guests “on a ride” around the county to learn about these carousels. An Endicott Johnson baby, Ottman served as Director of Your Home Library in Johnson City, retiring after 33 years of library service. In 2003 she was honored as a New York State Woman of Distinction for her work with libraries, literacy and local history.
For more information, call the Historical Society at (607) 778-3572.
