This park is lovely and deserves more notice! We recently were in the area and went to see the carousel at Chavis park. The facility was very nice and the carousel, with working band organ, was in great condition. We were the only people there at the time. We came from Pullen Park which had many more visitors. The carousels at each park are different and equally lovely, but Pullen Park's doesn't use their band organ. There's even a row of tiny horses on the carousel for the very young and little things around the carousel for children to do. There looked to be pool facilities, although they were drained when we were there, maybe due to being early in June. This park seems to be a hidden gem and more people should know about it.There were lovely green spaces. Give it a try! Parks need people to keep in top shape!

You would never know this park was here. It’s literally a five minutes drive from downtown. The carousel has been restored, it’s detailed and beautiful. Looking for nostalgia, you’ve come to the right place. Little ones? There are permanently fixed miniature horses lined up in front of a bench seat on the carousel. Once done at the carousel you can take the kids to the playground. Great for budget, date, family, or group.

The carousal wasn't open when we were there as we were headed to walk on the Little Rock Trail (part of the Greenway). I would imagine during the summer it is very busy with the pool, playground and the community center as well as the various venues for tennis, running, baseball, softball. Benches to relax on and a few covered shelters for picnics, etc. Very well kept up!

We came here to ride the carousel. This 1920’s portable Allan Herschell carousel is a little known treasure that’s been standing here since 1937. It’s in a brand new air conditioned pavilion that houses it very well. It even has an area where children are invited to color pictures that have been drawn from this carousel. The attendants were very helpful. We were the only people here when we came, and no one else showed up while we were there. It’s a real pity since it’s so beautifully restored, and in such good condition. 50 years ago there were 2 parks in the area: Pullen Park for whites and Chavis Park for African Americans. When the parks were integrated, it seems people flocked to Pullen Park and neglected this one. Chavis Park is being renovated to attract more people, and I would highly recommend coming here to ride the carousel and use the pool, fields, playgrounds and community center. We walked through the community center as well – it’s beautifully re-done and gives some very interesting history on the life of John Chavis. Many carousels are beautiful because of their diversity. This one is so beautiful because of its unity. There are only 5 designs of horses, and they are all restored the same way. There are small differences between various horses, of course, and they are fun to watch for. And taken in all together, it shines like a jewel. We paid $1 a ride - a real bargain.