MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the "Spirit of Columbia Gardens Carousel" Project is to bring Butte people and civic resources together to construct and operate a hand-carved carousel reminiscent of what we remember about the Columbia Gardens. The focus of the project is to reclaim, restore and preserve an important part of Butte's history, teach the dying art of hand-carving horses and embellishments. We will enhance the quality of community by providing present and future generations with a unique opportunity to enjoy the simple pleasure working and having fun together.The project also provides the starting point for future park and recreational facilities that will enhance tourism in Butte and the rest of the state of Montana.

From the early 1900's to 1973, the mining community of Butte, Montana, had one bright spot in an otherwise, mostly industrial, drab environment.The community enjoyed a beautiful park and playground area known as the Columbia Gardens. A small amusement park was the crown jewel of this garden spot and the center stone of the amusement park was a glorious carousel complete with hand-carved horses, a band organ, hand carved chariots, and an elegant canopy with hand carved mirror frames and gargoyles. The carousel consisted of 42 beautifully hand-carved and ornately painted horses. The carousel was purchased for the people of Butte by W. A. Clark in 1923. W.A. Clark was one of the Copper Kings of the late 1800's and early 1900's. He made his fortune in the mines of Butte and gave the one-company town some pleasure by the development of the Columbia Gardens and the purchase of such things as the carousel. Hand painted carousels were an art form developed in the United States by such men as A.B.Hershell and W. Spillman, and utilizing the talents of the many immigrants who came to America at that time.The people of Butte enjoyed the Park and the Carousel more than any other pastime. Generations of families, many of them of immigrant blood,of people who came from Europe to work in the mines, played and laughed and found pleasure in this beautiful spot.
In 1973 the Columbia Gardens and the amusement park and all the beautiful amusement park equipment was shut down by a large company to make room for more open pit mining. The citizens were given one last day to touch the beautiful hand painted horses and to take one more ride before the carousel was shut down. The carousel was dismantled and put in storage. While in storage it mysteriously burned up. Some say it was an accident, some say not. Now, through the efforts of many hard working volunteers, "The Spirit of Columbia Gardens Carousel" organization is in the process of building a new hand carved, ornately painted and decorated carousel for the citizens of all ages of Butte and neighboring communities. Our volunteers have learned the skills necessary to create such works of art, skills like designing, glue-up, carving and painting. Other volunteers are working in our gift shop, doing technical research, restoring the mechanical workings of the carousel, and raising funds.Our carousel will depict the historical and ethnic past of our community and of it's citizens who have resided here for generations. It will honor those people who have made it possible as well as to give pleasure to those generations to come.

       In the fall of 1973, the Columbia Gardens amusement park near Butte closed to make way for mining expansion. The Columbia Gardens had been a very special place for folks to come together and have fun since 1899 when the Gardens was founded. Butte people were sad and angry about "losing the Gardens", but also knew about making sacrifices.
      Twenty-three years later, Butte's "can do" spirit and a desire to reclaim, restore, and preserve an important part of her history spawned a wonderful dream - to build a working carousel. This carousel dream was shared with the community and very quickly, Butte long timers, short timers as well as some neighboring communities began to turn this dream of hand carved horses through the Spirit of Columbia Gardens project.
      The mission of the Spirit of Columbia Gardens Carousel project is to bring interested people and civic resources together to construct and operate a carousel reminiscent of the one that had been at the Columbia Gardens.This community understands the importance of providing present and future generations with an enjoyable link to the past and an opportunity to experience the simple fun of riding a carousel.
      The Spirit of Columbia Gardens Carousel Foundation was organized in 1996 as a non-profit corporation. Since that date volunteers in the form of wood workers, carvers, fundraisers, artistic designers, mechanics, painters, gift shop personnel, businesses, corporations, and media folk have joined forces to share their enthusiasm, talents, and resources.Citizens and businesses in the surrounding area have sponsored all 35 horses and the 12 rounding boards. The children of Butte collected one million pennies to sponsor two of the horses. The Carousel will have only 32 horses when it is operational. Three extra horses, one of each size will be carved as replacements if a horse should need repair. There will also be two handicapped accessible chariots
      Butte Plaza Mall has provided the project rooms where the carving is done and the completed horses are corralled. The YMCA had provided a clean space where the painting of some of the horses took place. Since the inception of the project, 28, horses have been completed, 1 horse is in the paint shop, and 3 others will be completed this year. The 12 rounding boards have been completed. Twenty four mirror frames that attach to the rounding boards are also completed.. New platforms for the floor of the carousel have been constructed by the Anaconda Job Corps. A used carousel frame has been purchased and the mechanical group have spent considerable hours in restorations on the machine. During these years a committee has been diligently working on finding a suitable location for the carousel, and tentative plans have been developed for a building to house the carousel. The carousel site has been secured adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce on George St. Problems with replacement of water and sewer lines remain before the construction can begin. When the Lady of the Rockies offered a site on the same property that the base station of the aerial tram would be located. The Lady of the Rockies site was our first choice.

Butte, Montana, had one bright spot in an otherwise, mostly industrial, drab environment. The community enjoyed a beautiful park and playground area known as the Columbia Gardens. A small amusement park was the crown jewel of this garden spot and the center stone of the amusement park was a glorious carousel complete with hand-carved horses, a band organ, hand carved chariots, and an elegant canopy with hand carved mirror frames and gargoyles. The carousel consisted of 42 beautifully hand-carved and ornately painted horses. The carousel was purchased for the people of Butte by W. A. Clark in 1923. W.A. Clark was one of the Copper Kings of the late 1800's and early 1900's. He made his fortune in the mines of Butte and gave the one-company town some pleasure by the development of the Columbia Gardens and the purchase of such things as the carousel. Hand painted carousels were an art form developed in the United States by such men as A.B.Hershell and W. Spillman, and utilizing the talents of the many immigrants who came to America at that time. The people of Butte enjoyed the Park and the Carousel more than any other pastime. Generations of families, many of them of immigrant blood, of people who came from Europe to work in the mines, played and laughed and found pleasure in this beautiful spot. In 1973 the Columbia Gardens and the amusement park and all the beautiful amusement park equipment was shut down by a large company to make room for more open pit mining. The citizens were given one last day to touch the beautiful hand painted horses and to take one more ride before the carousel was shut down. The carousel was dismantled and put in storage. While in storage it mysteriously burned up. Some say it was an accident, some say not. Now, through the efforts of many hard working volunteers, "The Spirit of Columbia Gardens Carousel" organization is in the process of building a new hand carved, ornately painted and decorated carousel for the citizens of all ages of Butte and neighboring communities. Our volunteers have learned the skills necessary to create such works of art, skills like designing, glue-up, carving and painting. Other volunteers are working in our gift shop, doing technical research, restoring the mechanical workings of the carousel, and raising funds. Our carousel will depict the historical and ethnic past of our community and of it's citizens who have resided here for generations. It will honor those people who have made it possible as well as to give pleasure to those generations to come.