Looff’s Hippodrome
The National Register of Historic Places identifies the Santa Monica Amusement Pier Carousel Building as Looff’s Hippodrome. The description identifies it as “a rare intact example of an early shelter structure built to house a carousel in an amusement park. It is one of only two such structures that remain on the West Coast.” Charles I.D. Looff, whose career had begun at Coney Island in 1876, and his son Arthur were well-known carousel crafters, roller coaster builders and amusement park operators working primarily on the West Coast after the turn of the 20th century. The Hippodrome sas part of the former Looff Pleasure Pier that was built in 1916, abutting the original Santa Monica Municipal Pier. The original Looff carousel was removed from the Hippodrome in 1939; the present carousel, Philadelphia Toboggan Company #62, was installed in 1947.
Santa Monica, Los Angeles County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt