U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for July 13

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 13: MERRY-GO-ROUND

Profile America — Wednesday, July 13th.  For generations, one of the thrills of childhood was riding on a merry-go-round, awed by the movement, the fancy painted animals, and the music of the band organ.  While the exact origins of the merry-go-round — or carousel — are lost, William Schneider of Davenport, Iowa is credited with inventing the device in America this month in 1871.  By the early 1900s, there were some 4,000 across the U.S. — now, only several hundred remain.  There is only one steam-powered carousel left in the country, in Rollag, Minnesota, fired up once a year on Labor Day.  Today, the 462 amusement and theme parks in the U.S. feature rides much faster and more demanding than the merry-go-round.  Profile America is in its 15th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources:  American Speaker Calendar of Events

Carousel Trader and News Magazine

2007 Economic Census, NAICS 71311

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau