Colorado Veteran’s Hand-Made Carousel Tells a Touching Story

A Colorado veteran has been working on a carousel for nearly three decades. He originally began doing so as a means to heal from the struggles he faced while stationed in Vietnam, but has also consequently brought joy and healing to many others in the process.

How the Colorado Veteran's Carousel Journey Began

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Scott Harrison was stationed overseas during the Vietnam War and, like countless others in his shoes, struggled immensely from the experience. Once he returned home to Texas, he decided to move his family to Nederland, Colorado.

It was there that Scott began working on a therapeutic project in which he purchased a carousel from Salt Lake City that was built in 1910 and over the next 26 years would completely revamp the ride by carving and sculpting his own animals to include in it.

Colorado's "Carousel of Happiness"

The "Carousel of Happiness" as it's known today is located in the mountain town of Nederland, Colorado just outside of Boulder and has not only brought joy and healing to Harrison, but to countless others as well in many ways.

The team that makes up the attraction includes Harrison who owns the carousel and, of course, is responsible for making the animals, as well as the artist who drew all of the animals named George Blevins and journalist and carousel operator Doug Cosper.

One Colorado Family Finds Healing through the Carousel

Another touching story related to the carousel is that of a mother who unfortunately lost her young daughter. The woman, Trisha Dittrick, gave Harrison some of her late daughter's ashes to put into the koala sculpture and she and her family visit the carousel every year on what would have been her daughter's birthday to celebrate her life.