The Birds/the Beasts Are Here
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Th« W»con*ln State Journal
Ceatonnial Edinoa
The Birds/the Beasts Are Here HEN Madisonians "point with pride, "one of the first things invariably menlionecl to vis: ilors is Henry Vilas Park zoo, an outstanding attraction in the city's entire park system.. In the beginning it "just grew," like Topsy, with deer presented by the T. C. Richmond estate as a nucleus, but for a quarter of a. century it has flourished under a recognized status, and a planned development. In summer and winter it is an unfailing magnet for fascinated children and grownups. Hundreds of thousands of visitpis are drawn, to the zoo yearly by the display ol beasts, birds and fishes that now represent-upwards of 100 species and aggregate 490 specimens. , Recorded history of the zoo begins with March 31, 1914, when a small, group of wild animal life lovers organized the Madison Zoological and Aquarium society, later to be reorganized, on May 6, 1929, as the Henry Ylkts Park Zoological society.
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NDER the guidance of this group, the supervision of Director Fred. Winkelmann, and the cooperation of mayors and the common council, the zoo is maintained by the peopte of Madison through their city government. The city, however, owes particularly a debt of gratitude to a . sniall group, now deceased, who helped la make the institution possible—Henry Yilas, Col. and Mrs, William F. Vilas', Dr. Charles H. Vilas and Dr. Corydon G. Dwight. • . The Vilases gave the beaulifularea of broad fields, hills and lagoons' as d setting for the zoo and their .funds pro; vined for erection of the first permanent buildings arid purchases of animals.; Dr. Dwight made large pe'rspnal contributions to the zoo, toot time from a. busy professional life to interest others! in making gifts, helped to plan " build-, ings and purchase animals. ' : The first, building . on the grounds was an Ipld barn' moved in 1912'from its previous" site .near Gilman and Pfeckhey sts. It is still in use. Temporary cages for exhibition of a few local animals "gradually gave. way -tomore substantial quarters and since the early years no structures have been' erected "oiher than those of a permanent nature-—of native stones, concrete, ircn and brick. Mrs. Vilas ^donated the funds 'for the bird house,. 85 by 36 feet, which was built in-1915 and provides 18 large and two small cages. Dr. Vilas made possible the construction in 1916 of the lion house, 90 by 40 feet, with Us seven large .enclosed cages. The primate house, home of the large monkey family, was erected in 1550 with funds contributed by the city ar.d its citizens, through the zoological society. It measures 85 by 40 feet and
VQaB park from the car. showing lagoons in foreground. and Lake Monona in the background. contains 14 large .cages, two small ones, inside, and, 14 large ones outside. Its basement provides winter quarters for tropical, animals and birds. | I |HE depression brought a temporI ary halt to the 200 development, - -L . and .then,- paradoxically, gave it '_ new impetus,:through WPA projects. . All . buildings were overhauled, painted and repaired, the heating plant rnodemized." A barless' bear'den, ;1QO leet long, 32 deep, with a 12-foot moat, built in'1938 as the home for four, large black bear 'and one cinnamon, would have cost $50,000 or more if financed
The beautiful spots in a city beautiful
entirely by the city. A new monkey island, completed In 1934, similarly entailed only the furnishing of material by the city with the government supplying labo'r. 'It would have cost, locally financed, at least $25,000. It took the place "of the original monkey island built in 1919 by" Winkelmann and the park crew—the first monkey • island ever established in an American zoo. The bird house was equipped with hew cages and the ceiling was rebuilt. The zoological society purchased some additions to the collection of macaws, cockatoos, Indian magpies, toucans, -parakeets of assorted colors, Tropiols and 'other species. The cages now house, one to three dozen birds each, but more are needed to make' the display as impressive as its' surroundings. Other additions include a sheep mountain 25 feet in height, new deer park with stone shelter house and pond, new elk yard, two large < camel yards, two pony yards, and a fenceless buffalo enclosure. Pony and camel tracks were added this summer. The original black bear pits, built in 1914, and the bear and wolf dens erected in 1915, are in need of repairs. OST popular of all animals in the zoo is Annie the elephant, who puts on a riotous performance each spring,' when she moves from winter.to summer, quarters, that has become traditional and annually draws thousands of old and young spectators. Now 39 years old, and one of the largest female elephants in captivity, Annie was 16 when she was acquired in 1916 from the Ringling circus. Most numerous in the zoo collection is the monkey family, which includes many ringtail, Rhesus and other small types besides a pair of chimpanzees and a venerable mandrill which has been a fixture in the display more than 25 years. Jiaas and Maggie, orang-outangs, Nip and Tuck, the original pair of chimpanzees, and Charlotte, the white handed gibbon, were favorites for many years, but death has claimed them. Next numerous, aside from the birds, are the cats—lions, ligers and
M
Chimpanzee pair »ucc»eding the lot* InmwnfrH "Nip" and "Tuck" at Henry YUas park 100.
leopards, and Vilas park boasts the largest camel herd of any zoo outside of the Ringling circus. The herd, started by Zor Shrine temple in 1934, now numbers seven. Members of the Shrine are present at the zoo each Sunday morning between 10:30 and noon, to direct free rides for children. Pony rides also are provided for youngsters each afternoon during the summer. The animal display includes a fine herd of elk, another of assorted Wisconsin deer, augmented by specimens of Sika, white fallow and brown fallow deer; a family of aoudads, a herd of four bullafo, and an imposing collection of bear, including polars, Alaskan browns, cinnamon, grizzlies and Wisconsin black bruins. The zoological society each year raises $500 to $1,000 for purchase of new specimens and University of Wisconsin medical school authorities have cooperated for many years in maintaining the health of the animals.
For Pleasure and Play . By JAMES G. MARSHALL (Secretary, Madison Board of Park Commissioners) 1 I 'HE history of the first ten years I of growth and development of •*• the Madison park system was presented in The Wisconsin State Journal publication, "Madison Past and Present," in 1902. John M. Olin, who had served first as chairman of a citizen park committee and then as president of the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive assn. since its organization in 1894, traced the history and development of the then new Madison park system in an article x which he called "Parks and Pleasure Drives," and which is reviewed here for the early history of the parks. In 1892 a group of citizens with Mr. Olln as their inspiration was instru menial in creating what is known as (Continued on Page 8)
Th« W»con*ln State Journal
Ceatonnial Edinoa
The Birds/the Beasts Are Here HEN Madisonians "point with pride, "one of the first things invariably menlionecl to vis: ilors is Henry Vilas Park zoo, an outstanding attraction in the city's entire park system.. In the beginning it "just grew," like Topsy, with deer presented by the T. C. Richmond estate as a nucleus, but for a quarter of a. century it has flourished under a recognized status, and a planned development. In summer and winter it is an unfailing magnet for fascinated children and grownups. Hundreds of thousands of visitpis are drawn, to the zoo yearly by the display ol beasts, birds and fishes that now represent-upwards of 100 species and aggregate 490 specimens. , Recorded history of the zoo begins with March 31, 1914, when a small, group of wild animal life lovers organized the Madison Zoological and Aquarium society, later to be reorganized, on May 6, 1929, as the Henry Ylkts Park Zoological society.
W
U
NDER the guidance of this group, the supervision of Director Fred. Winkelmann, and the cooperation of mayors and the common council, the zoo is maintained by the peopte of Madison through their city government. The city, however, owes particularly a debt of gratitude to a . sniall group, now deceased, who helped la make the institution possible—Henry Yilas, Col. and Mrs, William F. Vilas', Dr. Charles H. Vilas and Dr. Corydon G. Dwight. • . The Vilases gave the beaulifularea of broad fields, hills and lagoons' as d setting for the zoo and their .funds pro; vined for erection of the first permanent buildings arid purchases of animals.; Dr. Dwight made large pe'rspnal contributions to the zoo, toot time from a. busy professional life to interest others! in making gifts, helped to plan " build-, ings and purchase animals. ' : The first, building . on the grounds was an Ipld barn' moved in 1912'from its previous" site .near Gilman and Pfeckhey sts. It is still in use. Temporary cages for exhibition of a few local animals "gradually gave. way -tomore substantial quarters and since the early years no structures have been' erected "oiher than those of a permanent nature-—of native stones, concrete, ircn and brick. Mrs. Vilas ^donated the funds 'for the bird house,. 85 by 36 feet, which was built in-1915 and provides 18 large and two small cages. Dr. Vilas made possible the construction in 1916 of the lion house, 90 by 40 feet, with Us seven large .enclosed cages. The primate house, home of the large monkey family, was erected in 1550 with funds contributed by the city ar.d its citizens, through the zoological society. It measures 85 by 40 feet and
VQaB park from the car. showing lagoons in foreground. and Lake Monona in the background. contains 14 large .cages, two small ones, inside, and, 14 large ones outside. Its basement provides winter quarters for tropical, animals and birds. | I |HE depression brought a temporI ary halt to the 200 development, - -L . and .then,- paradoxically, gave it '_ new impetus,:through WPA projects. . All . buildings were overhauled, painted and repaired, the heating plant rnodemized." A barless' bear'den, ;1QO leet long, 32 deep, with a 12-foot moat, built in'1938 as the home for four, large black bear 'and one cinnamon, would have cost $50,000 or more if financed
The beautiful spots in a city beautiful
entirely by the city. A new monkey island, completed In 1934, similarly entailed only the furnishing of material by the city with the government supplying labo'r. 'It would have cost, locally financed, at least $25,000. It took the place "of the original monkey island built in 1919 by" Winkelmann and the park crew—the first monkey • island ever established in an American zoo. The bird house was equipped with hew cages and the ceiling was rebuilt. The zoological society purchased some additions to the collection of macaws, cockatoos, Indian magpies, toucans, -parakeets of assorted colors, Tropiols and 'other species. The cages now house, one to three dozen birds each, but more are needed to make' the display as impressive as its' surroundings. Other additions include a sheep mountain 25 feet in height, new deer park with stone shelter house and pond, new elk yard, two large < camel yards, two pony yards, and a fenceless buffalo enclosure. Pony and camel tracks were added this summer. The original black bear pits, built in 1914, and the bear and wolf dens erected in 1915, are in need of repairs. OST popular of all animals in the zoo is Annie the elephant, who puts on a riotous performance each spring,' when she moves from winter.to summer, quarters, that has become traditional and annually draws thousands of old and young spectators. Now 39 years old, and one of the largest female elephants in captivity, Annie was 16 when she was acquired in 1916 from the Ringling circus. Most numerous in the zoo collection is the monkey family, which includes many ringtail, Rhesus and other small types besides a pair of chimpanzees and a venerable mandrill which has been a fixture in the display more than 25 years. Jiaas and Maggie, orang-outangs, Nip and Tuck, the original pair of chimpanzees, and Charlotte, the white handed gibbon, were favorites for many years, but death has claimed them. Next numerous, aside from the birds, are the cats—lions, ligers and
M
Chimpanzee pair »ucc»eding the lot* InmwnfrH "Nip" and "Tuck" at Henry YUas park 100.
leopards, and Vilas park boasts the largest camel herd of any zoo outside of the Ringling circus. The herd, started by Zor Shrine temple in 1934, now numbers seven. Members of the Shrine are present at the zoo each Sunday morning between 10:30 and noon, to direct free rides for children. Pony rides also are provided for youngsters each afternoon during the summer. The animal display includes a fine herd of elk, another of assorted Wisconsin deer, augmented by specimens of Sika, white fallow and brown fallow deer; a family of aoudads, a herd of four bullafo, and an imposing collection of bear, including polars, Alaskan browns, cinnamon, grizzlies and Wisconsin black bruins. The zoological society each year raises $500 to $1,000 for purchase of new specimens and University of Wisconsin medical school authorities have cooperated for many years in maintaining the health of the animals.
For Pleasure and Play . By JAMES G. MARSHALL (Secretary, Madison Board of Park Commissioners) 1 I 'HE history of the first ten years I of growth and development of •*• the Madison park system was presented in The Wisconsin State Journal publication, "Madison Past and Present," in 1902. John M. Olin, who had served first as chairman of a citizen park committee and then as president of the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive assn. since its organization in 1894, traced the history and development of the then new Madison park system in an article x which he called "Parks and Pleasure Drives," and which is reviewed here for the early history of the parks. In 1892 a group of citizens with Mr. Olln as their inspiration was instru menial in creating what is known as (Continued on Page 8)
