During
the first 30 years of the 20th century, the zoo slowly
took on the appearance of a "real" zoo of
the time. Increasing numbers of fenced yards were
built for birds and hooved animals such as deer, sheep,
elk and bison.
In
1921, an elephant barn was built. A row of barred
bear and lion cages were constructed along the main
north-south pathway through the zoo. For decades,
bears and big cats paced back and forth in these cages
until the Bear Grottos and the Feline House were completed
in 1951.
Nearly
all of the exhibits were in the 20 or so acres closest
to Phinney Ave. There were also large yards for elk
and bison in what is the northeast corner of the zoo.
A public road transited the zoo, allowing cars to
shortcut from N. 59th St. to Fremont Ave. N. by driving
past the row of bear cages.
1902: The
Olmsted Brothers, a famous Boston architectural firm
that had designed Central Park in New York City, was
hired to plan all of Seattle's parks, including the
zoo. Today, much of their design remains visible in
the city's park system. The tree-lined boulevards
that connect one park to another throughout the city
were part of the Olmsted design.
1903: A
small private zoo at Leschi Park closed and the animals
were moved to Woodland Park.
1904: A
trolley line was constructed through the lower portion
of the park, opening it to more visitation. Woodland
Park was no longer regarded as being way out in the
country.
Citizens
of Seward, Alaska donated an Alaskan Brown Bear (Carrie
Nation - see 1940)
1904-1906: Animals
(excluding native northwestern species) listed were:
sea lions, a coatimundi and a pair of ostriches.
1905: A
concessionaire offered burro rides at 5 cents per
ride. these were the first noted rides at zoo.
1907: The
Parks Dept. hired Gus Knudson, a veterinarian, to
serve as "animal keeper" at the zoo. When
he was 10, Knudson had run away from his Minnesota
home to join the circus. He was officially made the
zoo's first director in 1922, though he had probably
been in charge of the zoo since his arrival.
1908: A
herd of Olympic elk was purchased.
1911: The
Primate House opened mid-summer. It was the first
heated structure at the zoo and the most impressive
building on the zoo grounds until mid-century. Deteriorated
beyond repair the Primate House was removed in winter
2003.
The
speed limit for cars and motorcycles passing through
the park was set at 12mph on the straightaway and
6mph on curves.
Cannons
from Admiral Dewey's cruiser, the USS Concord, were
placed in a plot on the southwest corner of Woodland
Park, now called the War Garden.
1912: Four
ostriches were purchased from a ostrich farm (on Madison
St.!) that was going out of business.
A
schooner (either "Transit" or "Transport")
brought two polar bears from the Arctic.
Phinney's
stone arch entrance was demolished sometime before
1912.
1913: A
polar bear cage was built. It stood on the present
site of the zoo's main restrooms, south of the Tropical
Rain Forest.
The "Umbrella
Pool" exhibit was constructed. It looked like
a big mushroom, and was located just north of the
Polar Bear cage and east of the old Primate House,
about on the current site of the DeBrazza's guenon
exhibit on the Tropical Rain Forest loop path. It
housed waterfowl, and at other times, seals and river
otters, according to the zoo's second director, Ed
Johnson. It was not torn down until at least the mid-1970s.
1914: The
zoo's first pony ring constructed, larger than the
current one but nearly on the same site and sprawling
to the west.
On
January 23rd, the southwest corner of WPZ, later known
as the War Garden, was dedicated to the veterans of
the Spanish-American War. Two Civil War Barge howitzers
(small wheeled field pieces) were added to the naval
guns that had been placed there in 1911. A plaque
made of metal from the USS Maine was set there as
well, to honor the personnel of the USS Illinois.
It is not clear why the Illinois was specifically
honored.
1915: A
Kangaroo House was constructed.
1916: Keeper
Knudson's salary was increased to $100/mo.
1917: A
Leopard House was constructed.
1918: New
Bison corral built.
A
2-year-old lion, Ole, was donated by Mayor Ole Hanson
(see 1935)
1919: A
lion house was completed in 1919.
A
Ferris Wheel and carousel were set up across Phinney
Ave. (on the current site of St. John's Lutheran Church,
near the zoo's west gate). The view from the Ferris
wheel was spectacular - "you could see all over
Ballard and the Sound." - Ed Johnson
1920: A
camel was born, probably the zoo's first.
Some
cages were built or retrofitted with rockwork as an
early attempt to create natural habitats. The effect
was mainly decorative and did little to relieve the
animals' boredom.
The Seattle
Post-Intelligencer proposed a fund-raising drive
to acquire an elephant.
Seattle's
population was 327,194.
1921: Asian
elephant Wide Awake was purchased partly by children's
donations ($3122.82) with the remainder being covered
by the P-I. Actually, the elephant was purchased
by the P-I in 1920 in anticipation of the fund-raising
effort. Wide Awake was presented at WPZ in June, 1921,
following a celebratory parade through downtown. She
was purchased from Singer's Midgets, a popular vaudeville
show of the period. She was advertised as a "midget" elephant,
but actually was just young, est. born 1913. Her show
name was "Cleopatra" but she was renamed
in honor of a P-I children's group, "the
Wide Awake Club." She was named by Dorothy Jewell
Dike, who won a contest for the privilege.
Wide
Awake gave rides at ten cents a ride, but the rides
were terminated when she decided to take off down
a public street on her own. It is not known if she
had passengers aboard at the time.
The
Bison Barn and the Elk Barn (both demolished mid-1990's)
were constructed.
The "Model
Farm" was built. It now serves as the zoo's Raptor
Center, and is the oldest structure still in use on
the zoo grounds.
1922: A
small elephant house was constructed for Wide Awake
in northwest corner of the zoo.
A
camel house was constructed south of the elephant
house. The zoo began giving camel rides, at ten cents
a ride.
A
formal Rose Garden was proposed by the Seattle Rose
Society and established by the Parks Board. It is
still in existence in 1999, and is regarded as one
of the finest in the nation, having won many awards
in the category of public rose gardens.
A
new kangaroo house was built, for red kangaroos and
wallaroos (NOT the current Australasia building).
Camels "Nile" and "Potentate" were
donated by the Seattle Shriners.
1923: President
Warren G. Harding spoke to a huge crowd at Woodland
Park. Don Sherwood, who attended, says there were
30,000 Boy Scouts present. There was, at any rate,
a group of Boy Scouts attending the National Jamboree.
Byron Fish recalled that the Boy Scouts were ranked
in front of Harding ("as protection"). This
was Harding's last public speech before his death
in San Francisco on August 2nd.
1924: A
statue,"The Hiker," portraying a Spanish-American
War infantryman, was placed in the War Garden (the
southwest corner of the park near N. 50th St. and
Phinney Ave. N.
1925: Springbok
barns and a Pheasantry were built. The Pheasantry,
much improved, is still in service at the zoo.
Harding
Memorial completed (see 1923). It was a large concrete
bandstand, with bas-relief sculptures of boy scouts
and the late president. When the African Savanna was
constructed, a large hole was dug next to the memorial,
and it was simply tipped into the hole and buried.
History has not been kind to Harding, and he is not
regarded today with the same reverence as in 1925.
Boy Scouts planted Maple trees near the wading pool
(the current site of the south parking lot and the
Family Farm).
1926: A
Kodiak Bear enclosure was built, added on at one end
of the row of bear cages.
The
zoo's labor budget for 1926: Director $225/mo., 4
keepers @ $142.50/mo., 2 apprentice keepers @ $100/mo.,
2 apprentice keepers @ $80/mo.
1927: There
were major discussions in public meetings about closing
the north entrance to motor traffic. It was noted
that approximately 3,300 cars per day used the zoo
as a shortcut, and went right past the animal cages.
Local residents and nearby commercial interests were
against the closure, zoo and city Humane Society personnel
were for it. In the end, and for many years afterwards,
traffic was allowed to continue through the zoo.
Seattle
population about 400,000
1929: The
Great Depression plunges the country, and the zoo,
into very tough times.
If you have comments
or suggestions about this page please send an e-mail to Dana
Payne
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