Buffalo Zoo
Growing with the City
1875 Elam R. Jewett (Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society) Owned the land at the corner of Jewett and Parkside Avenues that became the Buffalo Zoo. The Buffalo Zoo was started when two deer were donated to the city and Mr. Jewett agreed to house them on his spacious grounds. Soon they were joined by a flock of sheep, put there to keep the meadow mowed, and bison, elk and a cow.
1930s (Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society) The Works Progress Administration renovated the Zoo, building many of the natural stone structures that contributed to Delaware Park's nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.
Francis Crandall (Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society). Curator for 36 years, Crandall brought Big Frank, the elephant,
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An Olmsted Park. The zoo is located in Delaware Park, a park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. For more on Olmsted, look for other Seaway Trail panels in Delaware Park.
2002. The Buffalo Zoo developed an exciting master plan to completely transform the Zoo with major new exhibits and visitor facilities. The core experience of the new zoo will be a series of realistic, immersive animal enclosures that take visitors on a journey around the world.
World of Water. The major organizing theme of the new zoo is "water." This theme was chosen because of water's historic importance to the City of Buffalo. The new exhibits enhance appreciation for animals, and their behaviors. Visitors will learn that all living plants, animals, and human cultures share the same world of water.
Zoo Timeline
2002 Plans are developed for major new exhibits with theme of water.
1980s Emphasis changes from numbers of animals to breeding and reproduction.
1973 Zoological Society takes over zoo operations.
1960s Gorillas arrive, Children's Zoo, Giraffe House, and Animal Hospital
1942 Reptile House opened and declared finest in America.
1938 Marlin Perkins hired as Curator, serves until 1944.
1935 Works Progress Administration begins zoo redevelopment.
1931 Zoological Society incorporated in midst of Great Depression.
1912 Elephant House built for Big Frank.
1901 First Elephant, Big Frank, arrives in time for Pan-American Exhibition.
1898 Francis Crandall is hired as Curator.
1895 First Zoo Curator, Frank J. Thompson, is hired, serves until 1898.
1890 Bear pits created. Public awareness grows, many animals donated.
1875 First permanent building. Buffalo Zoological Gardens established.
1870 A pair of deer presented to the City of Buffalo.
Cultural Heritage. Cultural Institutions were born along with Seaway Trail cities.
Seaway Trail, Inc. Corner Ray & West Main St., Sackets Harbor, NY 13685. www.seawaytrail.com America's Byways. This project was funded in part by the Federal Highway Administration and Administered by the New York State Scenic Byways Program of the New York State Department of Transportation and Seaway Trail, Inc.
Erected by Seaway Trail, Inc.
Topics and series.
Location. 42° 56.161′ N, 78° 51.066′ W. Marker is in Buffalo, New York, in Erie County. It is in Delaware Park. It is at the intersection of Parkside Avenue and Jewett Parkway, on the right when traveling south on Parkside Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Buffalo NY 14214, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York and specifically in Western New York. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this
Also see . . .
1. Buffalo Zoo. (Submitted on July 5, 2014, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York.)
2. Buffalo Zoo - Wikipedia. Third oldest zoo in the U.S. (Submitted on July 5, 2014, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 5, 2014, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York. This page has been viewed 2,329 times since then and 128 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. submitted on July 5, 2014, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
