Historical Resources
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1880 to 1899
1882: Jeptha wade donated seventy-three acres of land to the City of Cleveland to be used for a zoo, called Wade Park. He also donated fourteen American Deer. 1892: Deer Barn and animal enclosures painted. ... -
1900 to 1909
1901: A pair of lions was presented to the Zoo.1902: Forty-nine animals were donated to the Zoo.1903: A grizzly bear captured in Yellowstone National Park was presented to the Zoo.1907: The seven-year ... -
1910 to 1919
1911: Construction of new bear dens began, so the bears could be moved from Wade Park to Brookside Park.1914: The bear dens were completed, and the last remaining animals in Wade Park were moved to Brookside Park.191 ... -
1920 to 1929
As the Brookside Zoo grew, most of the exhibits were housed in the main building, except for bears and hoofed stock, which were housed in nearby pens and paddocks. A notable claim to fame for the Brookside Zoo in the 1920s was the arrival of h ... -
1930 to 1939
1931: A letter to the editor of a Cleveland newspaper pointed a finger at “the world’s worst zoo”. There were 420 animals at the zoo, but 300 of them were domestics—ponies, ducks, geese, pigeons, rabbits, etc.1934: The Cuyahog ... -
1940 to 1949
1940:The fence required around the sea lion pool was installed, and the I. J. Fox Company (a fur store company) renewed its offer to donate three sea lions. On Monday, August 26, Cleveland City Council turned the zoo over to the Cleveland M ... -
1950 to 1959
1950: On August 17, the zoo’s new beaver and otter pool was dedicated. The new bird building was dedicated in October. The building added a new dimension in the exhibition of ornithological specimens at the zoo. New cages were installed in ... -
1960 to 1969
1961: On March 26, to commemorate their Golden Anniversary, the Cleveland Camp Fire Girls gave a totem pole to the zoo. It was placed in the picnic area west of monkey island. Ground was broken on June 16 for construction of a lion and tige ... -
1970 to 1979
1970: March 26: The City of Cleveland transferred ownership of the Zoo to Cleveland Metroparks. In late September, the original zoo building (the deer house)—located in Wade Park—was moved from the University Circle area and reconstructed a ... -
1980 to 1989
1981: Completion of the hillside deck walk behind the primate and cat building, and the opening of the new restaurant, picnic patio, and the entranceway at Fulton Parkway. The new section, called Upland Commons, gave a new appearance to the ... -
1990 to 1999
1990 Zoo attendance hit a new record of 872,713 visitors. 1991 The Education Division received a new van donated by the Ryan Foundation. The van was named Ryan’s Roving RainForest, painted with rainforest plants and animals ... -
2000 to 2009
2000 After various preview events, Australian Adventure opened to the public on June 8. 2001 Twin male & female Amur (Siberian) Tiger cubs were born in April, the first pair of tiger cubs born at the Zoo in sixt ... -
2010 to 2019
2010 The new Fulton Road Bridge (Fulton Parkway), on the Zoo's northwest side, reopened after more than three years of construction. Three female African elephants returned, after two years at the Columbus Zoo. Willy, a 31-year-old Afri ... -
2020 to 2029
2020 Construction completed on the Daniel Maltz Rhino Reserve. Two Amur (Siberian) Tiger cubs were born on December 24 to mother Zoya and father Hector. The RainForest dome roof was replaced. 2021 The Clevela ... -
All Zoo History
Late nineteenth century In 1882, local philanthropist and businessman Jeptha Wade (1811–1890) donated seventy-three acres of land near present-day University Circle, and fourteen white-tailed deer to the city of Cleveland, a gift that ...