I found an interesting site, also in the MMD Archives, that seems
to still be current: http://www.carousel.com/sfzoo/

It looks like I chose the right merry-go-round as the one at the
zoo would have been just that (especially with the koalas that were
kidnapped and returned that day).  San Francisco has another old
machine that is not on any lists, according to this site:
http://carousell.com/companyhistory/companyhistory.html

The machine just installed in downtown San Francisco is (one?) of the
old Playland machines with Looff animals.  This does not jive with my
memory, as I saw many of these animals for sale in the 1970s at antique
stores in Port Costa and Benicia.  (And I thought back then that $1000
to $5000 was out of my reach.)

According to the website http://www.zeum.com/visitor/carousel.html this
machine was in Long Beach, California, until 1988.  I do not know if it
has an organ or not; I doubt that it does.

Surfing around I found more on the Shoreline Village 1906 Looff carousel
that is the centerpiece now in downtown San Francisco.  This from the
point of view of Long Beach.  Nothing about a band organ though.
http://www.carousel.org/shoreline/index.htm

This 1906 Looff is now on the roof of the major convention center
(Moscone Center) in San Francisco, across from the new Modern Art
Museum and next to the Sony Metrion (indoor amusement park).  This
stuff is all new, like within the last two years.  If you are in town
for a convention the carousel is at the front door.  So San Francisco
has carousels by the three main manufacturers, Looff, Dentzel and
Spillman, all within the city limits.

Also, does anyone remember the carousel horse museum that was(?) in
the city?  I recall an auction of the collection or something, about 10
years back.  If it still exists, I can not find any current advertising
for it.

Julie Porter