Lake Compounce Carousel, Historic carousel in Southington, United States

The Lake Compounce Carousel is a 45-foot-diameter platform with 18 rows of riding positions: 16 rows of three horses each, plus a stationary chariot and a goat figure. It sits inside a 12-sided wooden structure with a scallop-shingled roof, a monitor center, and a central cupola, supported by wooden posts on piers with balustrades between them.

The carousel was built around 1890 at Charles I. D. Looff's factory in Riverside, Rhode Island. It first operated at Savin Rock Amusement Park in West Haven, Connecticut, and was moved to Lake Compounce in 1911. At that time Tim Murphy modified it with a new mechanism that made the horses move up and down. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The wooden horses display individual designs, colors, and expressions that show the craftsmanship of late 19th-century American amusement makers. Each figure tells a story of a time when artisans carved and painted every detail by hand.

The carousel is accessible year-round within Lake Compounce amusement park, where other rides, games, and food stands are also available. Visiting is straightforward from anywhere within the park grounds.

The carousel's platform keeps its original decorative elements, and among the 18 riding positions one row ends in a goat figure rather than a horse. The horses are painted individually, each in a different pose and facial expression.