Oakland Beach: the way it used to be!

Take a look at "the beach" in the early 1900s.

Established as a working man’s resort at the end of the trolley line, from the late 1880s until the mid-1970s Oakland Beach was home to a small midway, which at various times included a hotel, wax museum, roller coaster, bowling alley, dance hall, theater, arcade, merry-go-round and restaurants. The hotel was lost to fire at the turn of the century. The amusements, with exception of the carousel, were damaged or destroyed when major hurricanes struck our coast in 1938 and 1954. The carousel remained to die a slow death, victim of the automobile and theme park. It’s owner Joseph Caruolo, was know locally as the “Carousel King.”

Owner and operator of five local carousels, Mr. Caruolo had the fortune of working with Charles Looff in his Riverside, Rhode Island carousel, where he learned the business that became his vocation and livelihood. He is remembered fondly in our area as being a generous man, who loved our waterfront community and its residents. He was a regular at the dance hall and the sing-alongs, which were a common form of entertainment at the beach in the 1930s.

By the mid-1970s, Mr. Caruolo had reached his 90s and was not longer able to care for the carousel, which by this time had suffered vandalism and was boarded up. The carousel was sold in its entirety and was rumored to be heading overseas. We later learned it stayed in the United States and was resold to its current owner, the Perrons, who operate the International Museum of Carousel Art in Hood River, Oregon. The animals are riding on other operating carousels. Mr. Caruolo also donated the former movie theatre to two community churches, stipulating that it always be used as a community center. Now know as JONAH Community Center, it remains active to this day.