A Carousel for Missoula Informations

A Carousel for Missoula is a volunteer-built, hand-carved carousel in Missoula, Montana, located on the Clark Fork River in Missoula's downtown Caras Park within walking distance of the historic Wilma Theatre, Jeannette Rankin Peace Center and Osprey baseball stadium. The carousel is accompanied by a volunteer-built park, Dragon Hollow.

The vision for A Carousel for Missoula began in 1988 when Missoula cabinet maker Chuck Kaparich visited a carousel in Spokane, Washington, and read the story of Charles I. D. Looff, "a Danish immigrant who created Spokane's now-antique carousel as a wedding present for his daughter Emma."

Inspired by the beauty and craftsmanship of the ponies, Kaparich decided he wanted to buy a carousel horse for himself. In 1990 he contacted Frederick Fried, carousel expert and author of A Pictorial History of Carousels.

When Kaparich expressed his interest in purchasing a carousel horse, Fried responded with, "It's vultures like you who are causing the demise of the American carousel. If you want a carousel horse, don't take it off a carousel; carve your own."

So Kaparich did.

By August 1991, Kaparich had carved four ponies. He approached the Missoula City Council with a deal: he would provide the mechanical works, frame, horses and chariots if the city would give the carousel a permanent home. The council agreed, and a board from the Missoula Redevelopment Agency was formed to oversee the project.

Three years later, on February 12, 1993, Fried, after seeing pictures of the completed carousel ponies and plans for A Carousel for Missoula, wrote a letter to Kaparich and head carver John Thompson. Fried commented on the professionalism of the carving and called Missoula "a shining example to the rest of the United States, inspiring other townships to create their own home-and-hand-made carousels."

In 1918 the Alan Herschell-Spillman Company of North Tonawanda, New York, created a 38-animal carousel adorned with dogs, frogs, zebras, and roosters as well as horses.

In 1959, Bob Anderson of California erected the Herschell-Spillman carousel at Incline Village amusement park near Lake Tahoe, Nevada, better known as Ponderosa Ranch where the 1960s television western Bonanza was filmed. By 1959 the carousel had undergone significant wear, and many of the original animals were switched for less elaborate ones.

The carousel continued to operate in Nevada until 1983, when it was dismantled and the animals were sold at auction. The frame was sold to a secondhand dealer, then to a museum curator in Polson, Montana. The Montana man purchased the frame because it came as part of a package deal with a small children's train.

In 1991 the frame was sold to Chuck Kaparich of Missoula for $3,000.

The frame, weighing approximately 10-1/2 tons when fully loaded with ponies and chariots, has over 16,000 parts. Before being assembled in its current Missoula location, the volunteer mechanical crew of A Carousel for Missoula replaced the frame's bolts, and cleaned and repainted the other pieces.

Originally, the carousel operated on a steam-powered, leather belt-driven motor. A Carousel for Missoula replaced it with a 10-horsepower motor with a fluid clutch.

Funds to pay for A Carousel for Missoula's carving materials came from auctions and pony "adoptions". Families, businesses, and individuals could pay $2,500 to name, design and adopt a carousel pony. Four horses were adopted by Missoula school children who collected 1 million pennies, or $10,000, for the cause. The Missoula Building Industry Association adopted a chariot and designed it to be accessible for wheelchair users.

In July 1992, all 38 horses and both chariots on A Carousel for Missoula were adopted by donors in the Missoula area, ultimately raising $100,000 in cash and pledges.

In March 1992 the carousel was designated for a site in the west end of Missoula's Caras Park. The Missoula Redevelopment Agency Board voted to sponsor a design competition among interested architects to develop designs for the carousel building. J. Kirby and Associates of Missoula won the competition with their "jewel box" design.

In 1994, over $200,000 for building construction were raised through auctions, private donations and band organ song "adoptions". An additional $58,000 came from donations of materials and labor.

A Carousel for Missoula was officially completed on May 27, 1995.

About five years later, volunteers reunited to build an addition to A Carousel for Missoula; an outdoor park named Dragon Hollow. Many Missoula individuals and businesses donated time, materials and money to complete the park.

In December 2000, Rosemary Gallagher donated $25,000 to Dragon Hollow. The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation also pledged $15,000.

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