Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Victorian Cages
Historic Maryland Zoo
The iron-barred cages and stone dens in the Main Valley were constructed during the 1930s through President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Work Progress Administration (WPA). They are relics of the Victorian era of zoo-going when the goal was to showcase as many exotic animals as possible to a curious public.
From the front porch of their rowhouse on Reisterstown Road, Leah Kember and Mildred Waxman could hear the lions roar in Druid Hill Park. They were sisters born two years apart, in 1919 and 1921. As children, they would spend full days exploring the park. They remembered band concerts, baseball games, fireworks, children's sing-alongs, and most especially the Zoo. "We would have our lunch in a brown bag and as soon as we got to the park—it could be 9:30 in the morning—we would eat lunch and then we were on our own," recalled Leah in 2009 at the age of 90. "And we would walk to the Zoo. We always loved the Zoo. The first cages were the lions and the bears. They were the first you saw."
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Charity & Public Work • Parks & Recreational Areas • Women.
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Location. 39° 19.428′ N, 76° 38.872′ W. Marker is in Baltimore, Maryland. It is in Druid Hill Park. Marker can be reached from Safari Place, 0.2 miles north of Beechwood Drive, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1876 Mansion House Dr, Baltimore MD 21217, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. State-of-the-Art in 1876 (a few steps from this marker); Advancing Education and Animal Welfare (a few steps from this marker); Prioritizing Conservation (a few steps from this marker); Before Lawnmowers (a few steps from this marker); The Crane Barn (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome Back to the Main Valley (within shouting distance of this marker); Sea Lions Came First (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Polar Bear Zoo (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baltimore.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 173 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
