St. Joseph family preserves carousel horse from Lake Contrary Amusement Park

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Susan McClanahan, who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, shared the story of a carousel horse originally owned by her parents, John and Helen Freda Creal. 

She began by asking how many people still remember Lake Contrary Amusement Park. 

McClanahan said when her parents were dating in high school, they would take the streetcar to the amusement park.

After the park closed in the early 1960s, someone purchased the carousel and began selling off the individual pieces. 

“The carousel horse is made by Dentzel, which was a company in Philadelphia, and it is hand-carved and was brought to the amusement park in 1902,” she said.  

In 1964, her parents purchased the horse from the owner who was selling off the carousel pieces.  

They brought it home and made some renovations, preserving a special piece of the amusement park’s history. 

“So we had the horse at my mother’s home until September of 2003, and during that time every child and grandchild had played on it, had pictures taken on it. It was a centerpiece of a lot of activities,” McClanahan said.  

McClanahan later moved the horse to her home in Ann Arbor.

Once she acquired the horse, McClanahan had a professional carousel restorer restore it to its original paint and condition.  

However, when she realized she no longer had enough space for it, her sister, Lynette Montgomery, suggested donating it to the Patee House Museum.  

“The museum said they would take the horse, and it was moved down there and installed at the end of September this year,” she said.  

McClanahan described the horse as a beautiful antique, hand-carved from wood, that reflects a time when people viewed entertainment very differently. 

“Going to the amusement park was a wonderful way to date someone, and then the significance of every member of my family from multiple generations participated in caring of the horse and riding the horse,” she said.  

She also recalled how seven of the 10 grandchildren came together when the horse was donated to the Patee House Museum. Seeing so many family members reunite for the occasion was especially meaningful to her, as it showed just how much the horse meant to everyone. 

McClanahan said the family wanted to donate the horse to a place where others could appreciate it, learn about its history and reminisce about their own memories of visiting Lake Contrary.  

“The horse encourages people to look at the history of St. Joseph and the way St. Joe is unique,” she added.  

McClanahan said she has always been fascinated by St. Joseph’s history and hopes visitors will take the time to appreciate that history while admiring the horse for the piece of craftsmanship it is.