Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Zoological Society (Images of America)

Product Description

Brookfield Zoo first opened its gates to the public on July 1, 1934. The zoo has impressed millions with its barless exhibits–an innovation imported from Europe–and its expansive collection of rare and endangered species. Managed by the Chicago Zoological Society and located 14 miles west of the city’s center, the zoo serves as an inspiring natural refuge for weary urbanites, while also drawing visitors from across the country with its innovative and expansive exhibits, unusual and diverse species, and gorgeous landscaping.

Review

Title: Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Zoological Society by Douglas Deuchler and Carla W. Owens

Publisher: RickLibrarianBlog

Date: 9/2/09

The Brookfield Zoo is one of my favorite places. When my daughter was little and we lived in Brookfield, Illinois, we were there at least once a week year round. It’s like my backyard, and I have come to know a lot about the place since my first visit in 1982. So I was eager to see Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Zoological Society by Douglas Deuchler and Carla W. Owens.

Like all Image of America series books from Arcadia Publishing, Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Zoological Society is a 128-page paperback filled with annotated black-and-white photographs. These photographs drawn from the zoo archives and other sources are sequenced chronologically to tell about the building of the zoo, its maturation, and its rise as a leader in world conservation. Particular emphasis is given to its buildings, notable animals, special events, and zoo-goers experiences.

I both enjoyed seeing the familiar and unfamiliar in the photos. I remember the old dolphinarium, Olga the Walrus, the narrow-gauge railroad, the old Giraffe House where the okapis lived, the old Motor Safari vehicles with their animal-skin paint jobs, and Mold-A-Rama figurines. Most of these are gone and some have been replaced with something better, but the memories are still fond.

I also learned many things about the zoos past:

In the 1930s, you could rent a wheeled chair (a chair on a sort of dolly) for 50 cents an hour and an attendant to push it for an additional 25 cents.

The zoo encouraged feeding bears marshmallows until the late 1950s.

The Aquatic Bird House originally had a bright Art Deco interior.

The mote around Baboon Island was drained in 1948 after a ten-year old boy climbed over the guard rail and fell in.

It took eleven zoo employees to carry a giant anaconda, the world’s heaviest snake.

Roosevelt Fountain was not constructed until 1954, decades after it was planned.

As with all Image of America books, I am left with unanswered questions, such as where were the pandas kept. 128 pages is not enough for 75 years of zoo history. I am glad that we also have Let the Lions Roar: The Evolution of the Brookfield Zoo by Andrea Ross, which goes into more detail. Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Zoological Society by Douglas Deuchler and Carla W. Owens is a good supplement and update to the longer book. Both make me want to go back to the zoo tomorrow.

Title: Zoo rings in 75 years with book, party

Author: Doug Deuchler

Publisher: Riverside/Brookfield Landmark

Date: 6/23/09

On Wednesday, July 1, Brookfield Zoo will be 75 years old. Construction began in the mid-1920s but once the Great Depression hit, all building halted. The zoo was not finished until1934.

That was a big summer for Chicago. Dillinger was shot outside the Biograph Theater and the “Century of Progress” World’s Fair had been so well-attended, despite the hard times, it was reopened for a successful second year.

Since 1934 Brookfield Zoo has been a world-class leader in animal care, conservation, and education, inspiring generations of guests to gain a greater appreciation of nature and wildlife.

When the Arcadia Publishing Company heard I was working part time as a motor safari tram guide at the zoo, an editor approached me about doing a new book for their “Images of America”