ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida — Long lines stretched into the park where the carousel in St. Augustine sits.
People wanted one last ride on it before it is removed Monday.
The owner of the carousel died last week and his wife is moving it to Florida’s west coast to honor his wishes.
Sunday is the last day to ride it.
Camille and Caraugh Zeigler are sisters who visited the carousel Friday. They remember their first ride on it. Mom still has the picture.
"I was 4 years old, Camille said. "It was my favorite thing since I was a little girl."
Eight years later, they are now 12 and 13.
After hearing that the carousel is moving away, they, like many others, wanted to ride it one last time.
"I’m very sad it’s going away," Camille said.
"Same," Caragh said. "I couldn’t help but cry a little bit when I was going on it."
James Crozier with the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind has brought students for 20 years to know the feeling of a carousel.
"It's just to have that experience with the community and do things any other kids do," Crozier said. "We’re going to really miss it. It’s part of the community."
Jim Soules acquired the carousel when his bother, who was in the circus business, died. Soules kept it running for 25 years in St. Augustine. He died last week. His wife, Peggy, has chosen to move the carousel to Port Charlotte, where they lived for the past few years with their children and family.
The quick word of it leaving has its fans flocking to take for one last spin and one last photo.