The Heritage Carousel at Union Park.
Writer: Michael Morain
Photos: Duane Tinkey
Noah was famous for taking care of animals for 40 days and 40 nights. Sandra Gustafson has been at it for far longer.
For 20 years now, the local artist has quietly worked her magic at Union Park’s Heritage Carousel, one polished hoof and painted mane at a time. For a few days every spring and fall she painstakingly sands, paints and seals the 30 wooden animals and two chariots that carry 40,000 to 50,000 visitors during the three-month season, which opens this year on May 23.
Some of the animals need more attention than others.
“I always hit the tiger, the pirate cat and the bears — the horses, too, especially the fancy ones,” she said. “They’re the ones that get the most love, from what I can tell from the wear and tear.”
The worst wear comes from young riders who scamper over from the splashpad and get in line. When volunteer attendants ask if they’re still wet, they’ll solemnly shake their heads — dripping swimsuits notwithstanding.
But the animals are still in pretty good shape. They’ve been spinning round and round since 1998, when a team led by J.C. “Buz” Brenton hired an Ohio company called Carousel Works to make the merry-go-round for Des Moines. Kids can still ride for 50 cents, just as they did when it opened.
“There just aren’t many places like this anymore,” Gustafson said.
Over the years, she’s seen families come for birthday parties. They return for senior photos and wedding proposals.
Sandra Gustafson touches up the pirate cat to prolong its nine lives.
The animals “accumulate all these memories,” she said. That’s why she always leaves a few scratches and scuffs, so visitors can see they’re wooden and not plastic. The animals are both artworks and artifacts of life in the community and her own family. Last fall, Gustafson’s son, Noah, 17, helped with the touch-ups.
“It feels like they hold all that history,” she said. “My life has changed so much over the years, but this is the project I can’t shake.”
Spinning forward
Plans are in the works for a new shelter next to the carousel to make visits easier and more accessible, and to establish an endowment for ongoing operations. The campaign has already raised $700,000 of its $1 million goal. If you’d like to pitch in, visit heritagecarousel.org.
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