Port Charlotte man’s beloved 1920s carousel running in North Fort Myers

A 1920s carousel was all part of a man’s dying wish. Its owner asked it to be moved from St. Augustine to Southwest Florida. It took a crew nearly three months to restore the prized possession. Now that it’s up and running, people are lining up for a ride on the beautiful piece of history.

After being dismantled, Jim Soules’ merry-go-round now calls the Shell Factory & Nature Park in North Fort Myers home.

“You can see the gold. They scraped it down, repainted it,” said Anne Sheridan with Shell Factory. “All the red, they took care of that as well.”

Soules inherited the merry-go-round when his brother, Gerry, passed in 1992. He operated the family treasure in St. Augustine for 25 years. Days before his death, Soules ordered its dismantling and sent it to Southwest Florida to be near his wife.

Soules’ sister says he is looking down proud.

“He wanted to buy it for the kids, and it’s still doing that,” Kathleen Nasrey said. “So it doesn’t get any better than that. I mean, how many of us can pass and have our legacies go on forever?’

And it wasn’t just about the location. Soules had two more wishes: That the ride only cost $1 and that all disabled children ride for free.

Shell factory made improvements to the carousel that include brand-new lights. But most of it, such as the horsetails made of real horsehair, are originals.

Soules has a rich history in Charlotte County. The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office told us he was one of the first two K9 patrol handlers for the agency.

And Soules would likely be happy to know the ride is already a hit with the kids, and adults. Dale and Kermit St. Pierre prove the timepiece is there for everyone’s enjoyment.

“It’s just fun,” St. Pierre said. “You’re just a kid again, and that’s what’s fun about it.”