Carousel Facts
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.
The first carousel patent was awarded on July 25, 1871.
Head to an amusement or theme park on July 25 for National Carousel Day, also known as National Merry-Go-Round Day.