In June 1919, George (1874-ca. 1938) and Lucy Vincent (1893-1990) opened a carousel, Ferris wheel, and dance pavilion at 5501 Phinney Avenue, directly across the street from Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. Despite initial protests by neighbors and the Seattle Board of Park Commissioners, who objected to having the dance pavilion so close to Woodland Park, the Vincents operated the business through 1934, when it is destroyed by fire. In the spring of 1924 the Vincents installed the “New Carousselle,” its sign visible in this photo above patriotic bunting at the front of their amusement center, and later “the Aristocrat,” which they described as “one of six giant Ferris Wheels on the North American Continent.” Both were probably replacements for earlier, smaller models.

Caption information sources: http://pauldorpat.com/seattle-now-and-then/seattle-now-then-the-phinney-ridge-ferris-wheel/; www.historylink.org, essay #7881.

• Subjects (LCTGM): Amusement parks--Washington (State)--Seattle; Crowds--Washington (State)--Seattle; Ferris wheels--Washington (State)--Seattle