Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Elephant House
Our First Elephant's House
— Historic Maryland Zoo —
When Mary Ann, our first elephant, arrived in 1925 she needed a place to live so this building was created for her.
Beginning in 1920, a group of Baltimore schoolchildren helped collect the funds to buy MaryAnn. This building, completed in 1926, after her her arrival, was designed to house an elephant on one end and a hippopotamus on the other. The building has a small, enclosed yard and indoor space for each animal. Besides providing homes for hippos and elephants, the building helped keep zoo animals fed. The basement featured a bakery used to prepare foods for animals across the zoo.
Image right:
Restoration efforts on the building finished in 2021 by Azola Building Rehab, Inc. Work included restoring the Spanish Tile roof, stabilizing wood cornice, repairing the masonry, and adding gutters and downspouts. the cornice, windows and doors were restored to their original color as determined by a paint analysis.
Image below:
Original plans of the elephant and hippopotamus house.
Erected by The Maryland Zoo.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Notable Buildings • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.
Location.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Sea Lions Came First (a few steps from this marker); Polar Bear Zoo (a few steps from this marker); Mary Ann and George (within shouting distance of this marker); Maryland Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Advancing Education and Animal Welfare (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Prioritizing Conservation (about 300 feet away); State-of-the-Art in 1876 (about 300 feet away); Elephant Walk (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baltimore.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 11, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 11, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 138 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 11, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A better photo of the Elephant House • Can you help?
