Connecticut Connections To Dentzel Carrousel Featured In New Book

The circa 1910 Dentzel carrousel (the French spelling of the word) had a long life. The key word is “had,” since the four-row classic attraction was dismantled and auctioned during 1989 and 1990.

The attraction was known the King Rex Carrousel when it was located at Freedomland U.S.A. in The Bronx from 1960 to 1964. It then moved north to Storytown USA that morphed into The Great Escape in Lake George, New York. Its history and name prior to the 1960s have not been documented and its earlier locations may forever be lost.

The carrousel is featured in the new book, Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History. Just about everything that is known about Freedomland that could fit into 300+ pages appears in this book recently published by Theme Park Press and available on Amazon, eBay, Barnes&Noble and Goodreads.

Freedomland (visit the Facebook fan page) was an American history theme park. It featured the Chicago Fire that roared with flames many times each day along with a trip on a bull boat in untamed wilderness on the Northwest Fur Trapper attraction. Dark rides focused on San Francisco’s earthquake, a buccaneer attraction with connections to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean, a tornado recreation and a mine ride deep into the earth. Another popular Freedomland attraction allowed guests to witness the early stages of audio-automatronics as they rode on a correspondents’ wagon through the battle lines of rival Civil War armies.

Guests also enjoyed Wild West shoot-outs at Fort Cavalry and staged robberies on vintage steam trains. Young children especially enjoyed a ride aboard Danny the Dragon, the fire-breathing mythical monster with a heart of gold, while teens and older adults were entertained by more than 150 celebrities of the day who appeared at the park. The book shares Freedomland memories from Pat Boone, Kathy Lennon of The Lennon Sisters, Sonny Fox of Wonderama and others.

A Classic Dentzel

The King Rex Carrousel reportedly was purchased by Freedomland from W.F. Rankin for $3,500. Research has not discovered any information about Rankin, the purchase, or the early history of the attraction. Created by William H. Dentzel, the son of carrousel pioneer Gustav Dentzel, this carrousel was the last known half-standing, half-jumping, four-row, two-level Dentzel. Its 72 menagerie figures were situated on a two-level platform. The ride, with a diameter of 54 feet and circumference of 132 feet, consisted of two rows of standing animals on the lower level and two rows of leaping animals on the upper level. The ride also included three chariots, or stationary coaches.

When Freedomland closed, a number of its attractions, including the carrousel, were purchased by Charley Wood, who owned the Storytown USA and Gaslight Village parks in Lake George. On December 16, 1989, individual pieces from the Freedomland/Storytown/ Great Escape carrousel were auctioned by Guernsey’s auction house in New York City. The total price for 69 figures was $1.3 million. Besides horses, the figures included rabbits, cats, bears, ostriches, deer, giraffes, mules, pigs, and one each of a tiger and lion. Additional items were auctioned in Saratoga Spring, New York, less than a year later.

Bill Finkenstein, owner of WRF Designs, a carrousel restorer and appraiser in Plainville, prepared the separate items for auction.

“Years later,” said Finkenstein in the Freedomland book, “Charley felt bad about auctioning the carrousel and selling it in pieces. A carrousel is a beautiful attraction, but it also is history.”

WRF Designs has restored carrousels from across the country. One current project involves the 1920s carrousel from Rye Playland in New York that sustained water damage during a fire several years ago.

Following the auctions, several pieces of the Freedomland attraction found a home at the New England Carousel Museum in Bristol. One piece is a carved wood inside upper panel. Featured in the main gallery, the panel is about two feet in height and depicts an Indian warrior charging on horseback. A mirror from the ride can be found in the museum’s lobby. The panel and mirror were restored by Finkenstein.

Much more about the carrousel, along with many stories about all the attractions, character actors and other details about Freedomland, are awaiting the baby boomer fans of this park in the new and highly celebrated Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History.