SPOKANE, Wash. — The curator for the Looff Carrousel in Riverfront Park is retiring after 28 years.
Bette Largent has had a hand in maintaining and restoring all the animals on the carousel over the years. She knows all the animals’ names by heart.
Largent’s love for carousels started when she was a child. She had a summer job in a gift shop and had a knack for painting, which got her into the restoration game.
She estimates that she has worked on 10 tons of carousel equipment. She said the Looff Carrousel is more than just an amusement ride but more like a ride through Spokane’s history.
She said she and her crews have created a time capsule and placed it in one of the horses in the carousel.
Largent is a member of the National Carousel Association and hopes to continue to advise the current carousel staff in the future.