When the carousel was presented to the park board during his term as commissioner, Koenig stated, "I wish the merry-go-round to be dedicated to the children who have used Freeport parks through the years, who are using them now and will be enjoying them in the future."

The merry-go-round opened July 4,1959, and has been operating every summer since. Many rides have been taken by several generations of children. The records show an average of 29,000 rides a year, which would calculate to more than a million rides in its thirty-six-year history.

Bill Koenig, son of the late Robert Koenig, said that when his father donated the carousel to the park, it probably cost $20,000 to $25,000. Today it's valued at more than $350,000; however, its worth exceeds any monetary value placed upon it.

Because the carousel has been in use without repair for thirty-six years, Gary Can, a lifelong Preeport resident, felt that it should be renovated. He organized the drive to beautify the land-mark during the winter of 1995. The planning and enthusiasm he provided made the project a challenge involving teamwork throughout the entire area.

A new design for the carousel was developed by Freeport artist Duane Smith. At the top of the all new blue-and-white vinyl canopied merry-go-round, there are twelve upper perimeter panels each with an oval art frame. In these ovals are portraits of local historical people and land-marks, painted by thirteen area artists.

The portraits feature Robert R Koenig, philanthropist; Jane Addams, social worker, founder of Chicago's Hull-House and native of nearby Cedarville; Chief Winneshiek, a Native American from the area's early history; Tutty Baker, founder of Freeport; Dr. W.W. Krape, who donated the land for Krape Park; and General Smith D. Atkins, a noted soldier from the region.

The landmarks include the old Stephenson County Courthouse, Brown's Mill, a farm scene, Freeport High School, First Presbyterian Church, and a bridge and waterfall scene from Krape Park.

In his carousel design, Duane Smith included a new lighting scheme. It specifies replacing fluorescent fixtures with round incandescent bulbs and the placement of eighteen mirror panels for added sparkle. There are between 800 and 900 bulbs in the new carousel.

Various area businesses helped to improve the lighting, and a new sound system was donated. Volunteers also decided to paint the carousel, rebuild and redesign its sit-down ride benches, add wheelchair ramps, expand the ticket booth, paint the perimeter fence and provide the traditional carousel music for the tape library.

The new ticket booth was built by two young independent carpenters. It is like something from a movie set. Painted in sojourn blue with paper moon white colors which are compatible with the colors used on the newly painted carousel. The booth has five windows, an imitation shake shingle roof, and a scalloped fascia at the roof line. The carousel controls are now located in the ticket booth, rather than in the middle of the merry- go-round, and music is programmed from the booth too.

The most intensive portion of the carousel renovation was the restoration of the horses. After the carousel was disassembled for winter in the fall of 1994, the horses were mounted on individual stands to be sent for sandblasting. Each pair of horses were sandblasted, then moved to auto body shops throughout the area. Ten auto body shops donated time and materials to apply primer, sealer, two coats of acrylic enamel, and two coats of acrylic enamel paint with hardener. The painting the horses received will have a ten-year durability.

After this step was completed at the end of January, the horses were turned loose to art classes at two Freeport schools, the local community college, and seven area schools for painting and detailing. Students worked on the horses until they were completed. Many students researched ideas to determine different patterns for the horses. Schools with the top three horse designs were awarded cash prizes, and each school was asked to name the horses their students restored.

As the horses were completed, a moving and storage company sent out a crew with a padded van and secured the horses in each truck. Their destination was one of the heated warehouses in Freeport.

No detail was overlooked. New spiral brass pony poles and platform hanger poles were added to the carousel. Leather reins were even donated for the horses by the Stephenson County Mounted Patrol.

Approximately 100 to 150 people volunteered their services during the seven-month restoration of the merry-go-round, and many materials were donated. However, Gary Can, coordinator of the volunteer effort, stated that $ 18,000 in funds had to be raised to cover some costs. The price of the new top canopy was $2,000 and the spiral brass poles and hangers cost nearly $2,500.

Freeport Park District's reprint of local artist Grace Mitchell's twenty-eight-page coloring book entitled Freeport Parks became an important fundraiser for me renovation of the Krape Park carousel. The updated edition included Mitchell's