Community of Support & Respect for our Past

Community of Support and Respect for our Past. . , "This Carousel represents a time and place we can never go back to. And, to have something like this to hand down through the years is phenomenal." , Gail Baker, Brenham Banner Press, 1986 , Since its purchase, many dedicated citizens of Brenham and Washington County have been involved in the care, maintenance, and enjoyment of the Carousel., The Carousel was cared for and operated by the Brenham Jaycees. In 1986 they raised funds for much needed restoration through their "Adopt-A-Horse" campaign. Businesses, families and civic groups adopted many of the horses, raising the necessary funds for restoration. , Jack Sommers, an antiques restorer and his daughter Gail Baker disassembled, rebuilt and repainted each horse., In 1990 Brenham Noon Lions Club took over the responsibility of the Carousel. The Lions concluded that many of the 100 year-old parts needed to be replaced., The original manufacturer of parts, C.W. Parker Manufacturing Co., had been purchased by Theel Manufacturing in the mid 1940's., As luck would have it, Theel Manufacturing still had parts for our Carousel in stock! We ordered and they delivered as if time stood still., A local welder, Don Woltmann designed a way to grease the weight bearing gear to ensure it would run smoothly for a very, very long time., As our community has proven - It takes a village!, Captions , 1. In 1986, Virginia Kessel Hodde, pictured above, adopted a horse as part of the "Adopt-A-Horse" fundraiser and was a major donor again in the 2005 campaign to raise more restoration funds. , 2. Gail Baker, an accomplished artist, helped paint the horses during the 1986 restoration. Pictured above is Gail Baker and her father Jack Sommers. , 3. Another fundraising effort in 2005 named "Rally Round the Carousel" helped raise funds for additional work on the Carousel. (Original campaign artwork pictured above.) , 4. Mayor Milton Tate and Virginia Kessel Hodde enjoy a ride at the Grand Re-Opening of the Carousel This took place in 2008 after restoration work was completed. Just in time for Maifest! , 5. Mr. Jack Sommers, pictured above, worked diligently to bring the Carousel's horses back to life in 1986. ,