History:
In 1925 Robert Moses convinced the City of New York to dedicate 2,200 acres of city water supply areas in Nassau County for state park and parkway purposes in the form of a surface easement. 903 of these acres became Hempstead Lake State Park. After the dedication of these water supply areas, the Park Commission immediately began improvements for parks and parkways. Prior to the acquisiti
on, these lands remained mostly wild and inaccessible. Kenneth Roberts describes these areas in his historical novel of the Revolutionary War as impenetrable, mosquito- infested swamps where loyalists hid from the rebels. In the main picnic area is the only mechanical amusement device found in any of the state parks on Long Island - a children’s carousel. This carousel was built around the turn of the century by M.C.Illions of Coney Island and was donated to State Parks by August Heckscher around 1931. Prior to it being erected at Hempstead Lake, it was a “traveling knock down type”. The wooden horses are hand carved and their tails contain real horse hair. In 1981 the carousel was closed due to lack of funds for proper maintenance. The local village of Rockville Centre approached State Parks with an offer to rehabilitate and operate the carousel in one of the local parks. An initial agreement was made and plans to move the carousel were taken. Local residents in West Hempstead and Lakeview then rallied together and gathered petitions. This public outcry stopped the relocation. Over a period of many months the carousel was rehabilitated. After having stood idle for four years, the sound of children was once again heard from the carousel.
