The Allan Herschell Company was a company that specialized in the creation of
amusement rides, particularly
carousel
A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...
s and
roller coaster
A roller coaster is a type of list of amusement rides, amusement ride employing a form of elevated Railway track, railroad track that carries passengers on a roller coaster train, train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements, usua ...
s. The company manufactured portable machines that could be used by traveling carnival operators. It was started in 1915 in the town of
North Tonawanda, just outside
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
, United States.
History
Armitage–Herschell Company
Scottish immigrant Allan Herschell, with James Armitage, created the Armitage–Herschell Company in 1872.
Originally an
iron foundry, it branched out into hand-carved wooden carousels in 1883.
That same year, Herschell's son William traveled to
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
to meet former
Limonaire Frères employee
Eugene de Kleist
Baron Frederick Joseph Eugene de Kleist (18 January 1853 – 1911), was a pioneering German organ builder, who in founding the North Tonawanda Barrel Organ Factory, started the American style of Band organs.
Eugene de Kleist was born in Düssel ...
. Backed by Armitage–Herschell, in 1888, de Kleist set up band-organ production in North Tonawanda, founding the
North Tonawanda Barrel Organ Factory. The company produced a range of barrel-organ based products, suited for all ranges of fairground attraction. Armitage–Herschell carved many portable carousels, made in the simple "country fair" style. Surviving steam riding galleries are located in Mississippi and Maine. In 1901, Herschell left the company due to financial complications, thus allowing de Kliest to buy the pair out, and seek new investment from his association with
Rudolph Wurlitzer. Armitage–Herschell declared bankruptcy and went out-of-business in 1903.
Herschell–Spillman Company (later Spillman Engineering Company)
Herschell created the Herschell–Spillman Company in 1901 with his in-laws, the Spillmans. After Armitage–Herschell declared bankruptcy in 1903, Herschell–Spillman bought its assets.
Herschell–Spillman started out creating and carving carousels in the basic "country fair" style, but later branched out to larger park machines, such as elaborate carousels with many types of animals. Surviving carousels can be found in California, Michigan, Maryland, and the
Herschell–Spillman Noah's Ark Carousel in Portland, Oregon. Herschell–Spillman also constructed engines for the
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (1909–1929) was an American aircraft manufacturer originally founded by Glenn Curtiss, Glenn Hammond Curtiss and Augustus Moore Herring in Hammondsport, New York. After significant commercial success in ...
and the
Daniels Motor Company. The
Herschell–Spillman Motor Company Complex at North Tonawanda was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 2013.
Herschell retired from the company due to declining health in 1911.
[.]
The company dropped Herschell's name in 1916 and became known as the Spillman Engineering Company.
It continued to make the same style of carousels, though later it focused more on horses with a few
menagerie
A menagerie is a collection of captive animals, frequently exotic, kept for display; or the place where such a collection is kept, a precursor to the modern zoo or zoological garden.
The term was first used in 17th-century France, referring to ...
-styled machines. Surviving carousels can be seen in North Carolina and the
Strong National Museum of Play
The Strong National Museum of Play (also known as just The Strong Museum or simply the Strong) is part of The Strong in Rochester, New York, United States. Established in 1969 and initially based on the personal collection of Rochester native Mar ...
in
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality in New York, with a populati ...
. It went out-of-business in 1945 when it was bought out by the Allan Herschell Company.
Allan Herschell Company
The Allan Herschell Company, founded in 1915 after Herschell came out of retirement, was the last company he created; it became a competitor for the Spillman Engineering Company. Herschell specialized in horses with rigid poses and portable machines, which enabled them to be packed and shipped easily between towns. Herschell produced over 3,000 carved wooden carousels, which were shipped all over the United States and Canada, as well
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
, and
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. Its factory, bought in 1915, is located on Thompson Street in North Tonawanda. It is one of the last factory complexes in the United States to contain the production of wooden carousels. The complex was expanded to meet the growing company's needs. The building has a large carving shop, a woodworking shop, a paint shop, a storage area, an upholstery shop, a machine shop, and a roundhouse where the carousels were assembled and tested. Herschell created other amusement rides besides carousels. He thought up the concept for rides specialized for small children, called "Kiddieland". Twister, Hurricane, Flying Bobs, and the Sky Wheel were thrill rides that catered towards adults. The company moved to
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
, in the 1950s, and in 1970, it merged with rival amusement park company
Chance Manufacturing of
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397, ...
.
Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum
The
Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum
__NOTOC__
Herschell Carousel Factory Museum is a historic carousel factory building located at North Tonawanda, New York, North Tonawanda in Niagara County, New York. The factory complex was constructed between about 1910 and 1915 and consists of ...
, at the original factory site on Thompson Street, opened to the general public in July 1983, with a full operational carousel from 1916. The first floor of the factory has been opened up to provide exhibits and demonstrations. Different programs are offered, such as woodcarving of various skill levels, guided tours, and a summer lecture series. Special programs, such as the Youth Volunteer Program and Neighborhood Partners Program, are offered to young people and local elementary-school children.
Surviving Allan Herschell Company rides
Carousels
Trains

* G-12 gauge miniature train
* G-16 gauge miniature train
[
* S-16 "1865" gauge miniature train][
* S-24 "Iron Horse" gauge miniature train][
]
Other rides
* Caterpillar, at Canobie Lake Park, Salem, New Hampshire, US
* Caterpillar, at Heritage Park Historical Village, Calgary, Alberta, Canada[
* Looper, at Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pennsylvania, US
Red Baron Wild Waves Theme 7 Waterpark
]
List of roller coasters
As of 2019, Allan Herschell Company has built 185 roller coaster
A roller coaster is a type of list of amusement rides, amusement ride employing a form of elevated Railway track, railroad track that carries passengers on a roller coaster train, train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements, usua ...
s around the world.Allan Herschell Company - rcdb.com
/ref>
References
Bibliography
*
External links
National Carousel Association 24 Nov 2008
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herschell
1915 establishments in New York (state)
1970 disestablishments in New York (state)
American companies disestablished in 1970
Amusement ride manufacturers
Carousel manufacturers
Culture of Buffalo, New York
Roller coaster manufacturers
Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1970
Manufacturing companies established in 1915
Motor vehicle engine manufacturers
North Tonawanda, New York