The Jantzen Beach SuperCenter closed the Jantzen Beach Carousel in 2012.

The century-old Jantzen Beach Carousel, considered one of Oregon’s most endangered historic treasures threatened to be sold off in pieces, finally has a permanent home: The National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles.

The one-of-a-kind carousel with 82 carved wooden horses that once delighted children starting in 1928 at Jantzen Beach Amusement Park on Hayden Island was hidden in a storage facility before it was donated to the statewide Restore Oregon preservation organization in 2017.

With the goal of securing the carousel’s longterm survival in Oregon, the nonprofit organization spent six years creating a detailed restoration plan. Earlier this year, its board of directors reviewed proposals from communities across the state to adopt and restore the carousel’s wooden horses, panels and decorative elements, and make it available for people to see.

The Dalles museum was selected since it has credentialed artisans and volunteers to assist with the restoration. Visitors to the National Neon Sign Museum will be able to watch the restoration process at the museum’s new education center, which includes a maker space, glass plant, and painting and gold leaf facilities.

Once operating, the carousel, which has more than 1,300 lightbulbs, will be displayed in a glass-fronted pavilion, to be constructed on an empty lot adjacent to the museum at 200 E. 3rd St. The exhibition space will also include some of the museum’s collection of early lightbulbs and pre-war neon signs.

Nicole Possert, executive director of the nonprofit Restore Oregon, said in a news release that the museum’s preservation plan for the carousel included highlighting its artistry and history. Installing the new landmark can also result in added education, tourism and economic development in the area, supporting the ongoing downtown efforts of The Dalles Chamber of Commerce and The Dalles Main Street program as well as the Columbia River Gorge.

In the past, Restore Oregon, which always saw itself as a temporary steward, stated that a new owner would need to be identified by Sept, 15, 2023, or the carousel may be forced to leave Oregon.

On Tuesday, Restore Oregon and the National Neon Sign Museum announced that the carousel, which has been on Restore Oregon’s most endangered list since 2012, will be restored and be part of the museum’s permanent collection.

The National Neon Sign Museum currently has more than 20,000 square feet of exhibition space showcasing the historic, social and cultural role of illuminated advertising and signage from the late 1800s through the 1960s. Museum founders David and Kirsten Benko said neon signs and carousels are industrial works of art designed to be seen.

“The Jantzen Beach Carousel is both an Oregon treasure and a national treasure, and we are eager to work with our community, and industry experts, to bring this one-of-a-kind treasure back to life as a major West Coast attraction,” said David Benko in the news release.

Kirsten Benko, a teacher and the museum’s director of education, said students and others can be involved with restoration project.

According to Restore Oregon, the carousel was first commissioned in 1921 for the pier in Venice, California, and made its way to Portland in 1928 for the recently opened Jantzen Beach Amusement Park on Hayden Island.

The sprawling amusement park quickly became one of the most popular destinations in Oregon, seeing as many as 725,000 visitors annually at the peak of its popularity. But crowds thinned throughout the 1960s, and in 1970 the park was demolished, replaced with a 500,000 square-foot shopping mall.

Whether giving a nod to the past or appeasing fans of the bygone amusement park, owners of the mall held onto the carousel, showcasing it on the ground floor for all to see. It stayed there until 1995, when developers came knocking once again. A group of Jantzen Beach employees, local politicians and community members raised funds to save and restore the carousel, which was relocated to a new pavilion by the mall’s food court, which was to be yet another temporary home.

In 2017, Restore Oregon accepted a donation of the carousel from its former owners, and began developing and testing repair and repainting protocols to guide future restoration, while also seeking a new carousel home and steward, according to the organization.

“We cannot wait to restore this century-old masterpiece, and provide it with a dazzling new home in The Dalles’ historic downtown business district,” said David Benko.