Here is all the information I have on Lake Mishnock. It is all coming from a book called "Mishnock, Memories that linger in my heart" by Waite Albro Avon Valley Press, 1998 He wrote an earlier book called A brief moment in time, Mishnock and kindred matters.

The Albro family [Waite's father John I. Albro, Sr. was the founder and proprietor of the Lake Mishnock Grove and Roller Rink. These books are a collection of wonderful stories about the summers at the Lake, and the families who lived there. I'm not sure when the area began - sometime in the 1920's I think ....

The Lake was a summer camp with swimming, a snack bar, the Merry-go-Round, a roller skating rink, and arcade, and later on the Barn, a place where musicians performed and people could dance. The Barn is still functioning, owned by Dan Albro, has a website here......



click to travel to their website


CLICK IMAGE TO GO TO THEIR WEB SITE


They do country dancing there, give lessons, etc. The Merry-go-Round building may still be there - I'll ask somebody and let you know.

My father, his sister, and my grandparents rented a cabin there for 2 summers - just after WWII. To this day, almost every time we get together someone will mention the Lake, and something that went on there.




The Merry Go Round

Joe Carollo leased a 300x300 ft piece of property from John I. Albro in 1939, and erected a carousel building exactly that size. The lease was for 20 yrs, $200/yr payable $100.00 July 1 and $100 August 1. The building was built from lumber salvaged from a carousel building Joe had at Atlantic Beach (now Misquamicut) that blew down in the Hurricane of 1938. Apparently, there was a lot of legal trouble with the owners of that property, and Joe, who wanted to erect another Merry-go-Round. The court case was settled 10 yrs later, and Joe lost. So, the current Merry-go-Round is not connected to Joe.

The Mishnock building had a dodecagon roof of new materials, the rest from salvaged lumber. He whitewashed the entire building, which flaked off and shed so much that the floor and the horses had to be wiped down every morning.

There was also an arcade here, and Joe's son in law, Bert [Rounds] would tend to the machines, and the Merry-go-Round.

"Sometime shortly after the war, Joe sold the original merry go round.

It was a rare beauty, a prime example of the woodcarver's art. The horses were all special, ornately carved and decorated by the imagination of the craftsmen who brought them to life. I remember a particular one that was my favorite. It was a wild Arabian steed with shining, fire red eyes, a beautiful long, coal black mane that covered much of its neck and back. The bridle had a bouquet of magnificent, deep red roses entwined in the leather straps, that were decorated with gold buckles and ornaments. The saddle was a tiger skin complete with its head, legs and tail, so fashioned that the head hung off to one side, forming a perfect seat for its brave Tartan master. It was a work of art suitable to be exhibited in any gallery or museum. There were other carved horses and other animals, nearly equal in their beauty. The ride boasted four horses abreast; every other set were "jumpers". People came to enjoy its beauty while their children rode it." It was replaced by another set of horses - "bastardized" ones that Joe had been storing at his headquarters at Oakland Beach. He sold the beautiful merry go round from Mishnock with the classically carved horses to a new amusement park opening up in Virginia. He wanted to sell the one that was stored at Oakland Beach, but the buyers insisted on seeing it in operation before they purchased it, so he sold the Mishnock carousel instead.

There's more about the 2nd carousel, but does anyone have an idea of what this park in Virginia was?

"Not long after the war, Joe sold his holdings at the lake to Ray Tomasso, and his wife Marie, whos family, the Micalas, owned the one at Roger Williams Park for many years..."



CREDITS:Excerpts from http://groups.msn.com/CarouselsOfNewEnglandPostcardsfromthePast