The Looff Hippodrome housing the Looff’s carousel on the Santa Monica pier, Santa Monica, California, circa 1920

The Looff Hippodrome housing the Looff's carousel on the Santa Monica pier, Santa Monica, California, circa 1920This rather marvelous edifice was called the Looff Hippodrome on the Santa Monica pier, photographed circa 1920. It was built in 1916 by Charles Looff to hold a Looff Carousel. (Looff was a German-born builder of hand-carved carousels and built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876.) I’d love to have seen this in color because it looks like those pointy doo-dahs on the turrets were different colors. And from the sign out front, I’m guessing rides cost 5 cents.

Remarkably, the building is still around, albeit pared down with no pointy doo-dahs. After a 50-year absence, the fully restored carousel was returned to its home and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. This image is from February 2015:

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One response to “The Looff Hippodrome housing the Looff’s carousel on the Santa Monica pier, Santa Monica, California, circa 1920”

  1. Bill Wolfe says:

    As I’m sure anyone reading this knows, the building and carousel were featured in The Sting. It was a thrill for my wife and I to ride those hand-carved horses a few years ago, shortly before enjoying the amusement park located on the Santa Monica pier.

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