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Carousel of Smiles to be unveiled in Sandpoint

The Carousel of Smiles will be complete with 36 hand carved wooden horses and the original intact mechanism.
Photo: Carousel of Smiles

SANDPOINT, Idaho—For the first time in 65 years, Sandpoint’s 1920s carousel time capsule will be unveiled December 16.

The Carousel of Smiles will be complete with 36 hand carved wooden horses and the original intact mechanism.

For the first time since 1952 the curtains will be drawn back and the unrestored carousel will spin at the Bonner County Fairgrounds in Sandpoint.

Clay and Reno Hutchison said they stumbled upon this carousel by chance in 2000.

The Hutchisons said the last place this carousel operated, was in Hutchinson, Kansas, which is the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, and it is a sister carousel to the one destroyed in that fire.

“How could we not have saved it from being auction off” said Clay.

Reports said it took 16 more years to launch this project. Last Fall, the carousel made its way from a storage barn in NY State to Sandpoint, and unloaded at the Granary December 2016 to the cheers of a crowd with more than 150 people.

The event filled weekend will kick off Saturday, December 16 with doors opening at 1:00 p.m. and the officials reveal happening at 2:00 p.m.

The event will continue Sunday, December 17. There will be a public open house from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The event is free and open to all.

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