Jantzen Beach Center

A DIVISION OF HAYDEN ISLAND, INC.

1492 JANTZEN BEACH CENTER-PORTLAND, OREGON 97217 (503) 289-5555

JANTZEN BEACH MERRY-GO-ROUND

The golden glow of a thousand lights and the haunting flourish of the merry-go-round’s siren song still wave a magic spell as the legendary merry-go-round at Jantzen Beach whirls into its 72nd year in 1976.

The historic Jantzen Beach merry-go-round still captures the spirit of childhood fun as it has since May 28, 1928, when the old Jantzen Beach Amusement Park was opened.

Five generations and six million riders later, the appeal of the famed Jantzen Beach merry-go-round remains-new is a permanent fixture in what has become known as the merry-go-round mall at the Jantzen Beach Shopping Center on Hayden Island, the site of the former amusement park.

Records indicate the merry-go-round was built in 1904 in Leavenworth, Kansas, for the St. Louis World’s fair. In 1927 the merry-go-round was purchased by the Jantzen Beach Amusement Park and transported to Portland for the park’s grand opening in 1928. Historical notes show that some of the hand carved oaken steeds were carved by inmates of the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth.