Highland Park Zoo

Highland Park Zoo. Highland Park. , Today's Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, one of only seven major zoo and aquarium combinations in the country, was made possible in the 1890s by the donation of a powerful Pittsburgh political boss. Holding the belief that "no more interesting or instructive institutions can be found in the great cities of the world than the zoological gardens," Christopher Lyman Magee presented to the City of Pittsburgh in 1895 a gift of $125,000 for the construction of a zoo. The proposition was soon approved by City Council and Mayor Bernard McKenna, along with a committee that included Edward Manning Bigelow, [that] prepared the plans for a new zoo that would inhabit the Highland Park neighborhood. The Highland Park Zoo opened to the public on June 14, 1898., Prior to the creation of what is now the only zoo in Pittsburgh, there were two smaller zoos, one in Schenley Park and the other in Riverview Park. Both were relatively small with a limited selection of animals, yet they were well kept and attracted thousands of visitors. To the dismay of some, these older zoos were discontinued after the opening of the Highland Park Zoo and many of their animals moved to the new zoo., For a number of years after its opening, the new zoo often received criticism by newspapers and public officials for its deleterious appearance and improper management of animals and buildings. Fortunately, in the years after 1934, the zoo underwent a major revitalization that incorporated naturalistic environments for the animals as opposed to the concrete atmospheres that were common for zoos at the beginning of the 20th century., Previously owned and operated by the City of Pittsburgh, the zoo became a nonprofit organization in 1994 and is now owned and operated by the Zoological Society of Pittsburgh. To learn more, visit www.pittsburghzoo.org., Christopher L. Magee's letter to Pittsburgh's Mayor McKenna in 1895, [Photo captions, top to bottom, read] , . Panorama of Highland Park Zoo in 1905[?], . Historic Postcard of Highland Park Zoo, . Elephants and Giraffes at Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium