Marble, marble, everywhere in Proctor, VT – home of the Vermont Marble Company. #presinpink

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The Bartell Theater in Madison, Wisconsin was built as Colonial Hall in 1906. This funky facade was added ca. 1968 when it became The Esquire Theater. Today is hosts live performances. #presinpink

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Addison Town Hall Open House – September 14

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addison town hall

At long last, good news about one of my favorite buildings – the Addison Town Hall at the junction of VT Route 22A and VT Route 17 in Addison, VT. I’ve loved this building since my days of driving to Chimney Point during the Lake Champlain Bridge construction project and my days of conducting a conditions assessment on the Addison Town Hall in graduate school. When a local architect emailed me to let know that community is interested in the Town Hall again and has a plan for rehabilitation, it made my day.

The Open House will let people know about the proposed plan in preparation for the bond vote on September 24. This bond is for the wastewater project, the necessary precursor to the rehabilitation project. More information to follow! I hope you can stop by the open house this Saturday September 14, 10am-2pm.

Past Addison Town Hall posts:

Magic hour on Church Street in Burlington, VT. It’s the best time of year to be here! #presinpink

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National Merry-Go-Round Day!

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July 25, 1871 marks the first patent for the carousel (also known as a merry-go-round). If there was ever a holiday meant for Preservation in Pink to celebrate, National Merry-Go-Round Day is the one. It’s probably been a while since you’ve seen a merry-go-round on a playground; most seem to have been eliminated for safety reasons. While I distinguish between merry-go-round and carousel, they are  interchangeable in terms, according to the national holiday calendar. Here’s the explanation:

Along with the roller coaster, the merry-go-round is one of the oldest amusement rides. Also known as the carousel, the merry-go-round rotates on a circular platform around a pole. The platform holds seats for riders.  A motor spins the platform around the large central pole. Between rows of seats, passengers ride wooden horses and other animals. Poles anchor the animals in place.  Once in a while, the colorful animals move up and down. The movement simulates galloping. Meanwhile, calliope music plays, adding a light-hearted atmosphere.

Besides carousels, any rotating platform may also be called a merry-go-round. By comparison, children power the playground merry-go-round. They push off using the bars or handles. The riders cling to the same bars as the platform spins. Since the riders determine the speed, the harder they push, the faster they go. Not surprisingly, one of the thrills of riding the merry-go-round included becoming dizzy.

  • The earliest known depiction of the merry-go-round is in 500 A.D. The Byzantine Empire’s ride depicts baskets carrying riders suspended from a central pole. 
  • In the 1840s, Franz Wiesenoffer created the first merry-go-round in the United States in Hessville, Ohio. 
  • July 25, 1871 – The first carousel patent. 

In honor of the holiday, here are a few merry-go-rounds and carousels that I’ve come across over the years, from newest to oldest. As you can see, there aren’t too many. Slides and swings are much more common.

we found the playground. this is what we do.
Some flamingo fun in 2010 – testing out a newer version of the merry-go-round. 
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1970s merry-go-around in the Outer Banks, NC. 

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1970s merry-go-around in the Outer Banks, NC. 

 

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A homemade merry-go-round found in Waterville, VT. Photo taken 2013. The playground no longer remains. 

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1940s  merry-go-round found in Craftsbury, VT. Photo taken 2014. 

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1940s era playground equipment in Craftsbury, VT (2014). 

Seen any good merry-go-rounds lately? They were always my favorite. Enjoy!