William F. Mangels (1866–1958) was an amusement manufacturer and inventor. He worked at Coney Island and was a major player in the development of American

amusement parks An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

at the start of the 20th century. In addition to manufacturing carousels and inventing rides, including The Whip, he wrote a book titled ''The Outdoor Amusement Industry: From earliest times to the present'' (). Mangels is interred at

Green-Wood Cemetery Green-Wood Cemetery is a cemetery in the western portion of Brooklyn, New York City. The cemetery is located between South Slope/ Greenwood Heights, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, Kensington, and Sunset Park, and lies several blo ...

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York.

Early life and career

Mangels was born in Germany. In 1883, he moved to New York and began working as a bicycle repairman. He was called to work on a carousel and found an interest in the mechanics. He later started the W.F. Mangels Company, which would become one of the biggest amusement park ride manufacturers. Mangels would enter a business relationship with M. C. Illions, the wood carver for many of his carousels. His 1901 patent that focuses on the cranks used to make carousel horses go up and down is still used today. Mangels died on February 11, 1958, at the age of 92 at his home in Brooklyn. "W. F. Mangels, 92, Invented 'Rides'", ''The New York Times'', February 13, 1958, p. 29

References

Mangels Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery {{amusement-ride-stub