WaSMAR8601_01.xml Guide to the Woodland Park Zoo Historical and Administrative Records 1889-2006 Woodland Park Zoo History File Finding aid prepared by Julie Kerssen and Annalise Nicholson Seattle Municipal Archives 2012
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle 98124-4728 archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-09-14. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. Seattle Municipal Archives Woodland Park Zoo Historical and Administrative Records Woodland Park Zoo 8601-01 7.0 cubic feet 18 boxes 1889-2006 1940-1992 Historical records collected by zoo staff. English .

The Woodland Park Zoo began its existence as a small private animal collection established by Seattle developer Guy C. Phinney (1852-1893) on the northwest corner of his 179-acre Woodland Park Estate. This menagerie included North American animals like deer and black bear, as well as more exotic specimens like African ostriches. After Phinney's death in 1893, the property remained in limbo until the City purchased it from Phinney's widow in 1899 for $100,000, despite a veto by Mayor Thomas D. Humes. It became a part of the municipal parks system and was overseen by the Department of Parks and Recreation. The menagerie grew in 1903, when the animals from a private zoo in Leschi Park were absorbed, providing the foundation from which Woodland Park Zoo would grow.

The zoo developed gradually during its first half-century. New facilities like the Lion House (completed 1919) and the Beaver Pool (completed 1936) were periodically opened and populated with new specimens brought in from around the world. Controversy arose in 1932 when, against fierce public opposition, the city went forward with plans to construct a six-lane highway (now Aurora Avenue) directly through Woodland Park, separating the zoo from the larger lower park area to the east. Historical events affected the zoo's operation, as with slashed budgets and near closure during the Great Depression, and an anti-aircraft gun emplacement in the North Meadow during World War II.

The postwar period featured more rapid expansion as well as a growing incorporation into municipal society. Buoyed by municipal bond issues in 1948 ($800,000) and 1960 ($150,000), the zoo completed a diverse set of new facilities, including an Animal Health Department (completed 1953) and the Great Ape House (completed 1957). A longtime inhabitant of the latter building was a male lowland gorilla named Bobo, who was the zoo's most famous resident from 1953 until his death in 1968. The zoo's profile was raised further in 1954 by the new KCTS children's program "Buttons and his Buddies," which followed zoo animals and staff during its 17-year run on the air. The most consequential development of this time, ultimately, may have been the 1965 founding of the Seattle Zoological Society (later Woodland Park Zoological Society) as a promotional and fund-raising organization auxiliary to the Parks Department.

The zoo received a significant financial boost in 1968, when the Forward Thrust program earmarked $4 million for a program of facility building and improvement at Woodland Park. The City enlisted a team led by architect George Bartholick to construct a long-range design plan. The Bartholick Plan, as it was known, envisioned a zoo of larger and more naturalistic exhibit spaces, but also - and more controversially - a connection to the lower park via a lid over Aurora Avenue. Concerned over the potential effect on existing park space, a citizen coalition called Save Woodland Park led a movement in opposition that resulted in the plan's 1974 defeat by public vote. Mayor Wes Uhlman then empanelled a task force of citizens and experts to formulate a new strategy, which eventually resulted in the Hancocks/Jones & Jones Plan, approved in 1976. Though less ambitious than the Bartholick Plan, the Long-Range Plan still incorporated naturalistic elements in the form of ecology-based "bioclimatic zones" into the design, setting a conceptual benchmark for future development.

Guided by the Long-Range Plan as well as growing public interest in issues of zoological conservation, Woodland Park Zoo subsequently committed to creating facilities that closely resembled the natural habitats of their animals. For example, 1979 saw the opening of the Lowland Gorilla exhibit, one of the first in the world to exchange generic cage space for native flora and landscaping for large primates. Following the exhaustion of Forward Thrust funds in the early 1980s, the zoo entered a period of financial stagnation, partially alleviated by donations and admission fees (first charged in 1977). Public concern in 1984 prompted Mayor Charles Royer to empanel a Zoo Commission of citizens, staff, labor representatives and civic leaders to consider the problem. The report published the following year recommended a new round of county bond issues for needed capital improvements. Passed by voters that November, the bonds generated $31.5 million, along with $10 million in private matching donations, and resulted in facilities like the Asian Elephant Forest exhibit (completed 1989).

New funding concerns prompted the creation of the Zoo Commission II in 1995 to formulate a fresh round of recommendations. In its report, the commission criticized the zoo's managerial organization, which split tasks between the City's Department of Parks and Recreation and the private Woodland Park Zoological Society, as cumbersome and wasteful of money and effort. In response, the City Council voted in 2001 to consolidate zoo administration under the Society. Under the terms of the 20-year contract signed in 2002, the Society was designated to take over full management of the zoo. The City oversees the contract and provides annual public funding. Today the zoo maintains a reputation for excellence among U.S. zoos for exhibits and education programs, and its 1,100 animal specimens attract over a million visitors per year.

Correspondence, reports, minutes, brochures, and other historical records collected by zoo staff. Topics covered include specific animals and exhibits, zoo management and personnel, bond issues, and long-range planning. A run of the Director's chronological correspondence is included, as well as daily logs noting things like animal births and deaths, feed purchases, and visitor incidents and accidents. The series also includes some records of the Seattle Zoological Society, including agreements, minutes, and correspondence. Records related to Tusko the elephant (deceased 1933) and the Save Our Elephants campaign (1984-1985) are also in this collection, including photographs of the elephants.

Records are open to the public.

[Item and date], Woodland Park Zoo History File, Record Series 8601-01. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

 Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Parks and Recreation Seattle Zoological Society Woodland Park Zoo Seattle Seattle (Wash.) Parks and Playgrounds Zoos--Washington (State)--Seattle Zoo animals--Washington (State)--Seattle Admissions and Revenue Sources 1959-1962 1 1 Animal Care / Health 1941-1993 1 2 Animal Naming 1976-1996 1 3 Animals and Exhibits 1977-1980 1 4 April Fools 1987 1 5 Annual Report Information 1972 1 6 Annual Report Information 1976 1 7 Annual Report Information 1977 1 8 Annual Report Information 1978 1 9 Arts 1978-1992 1 10 Association of Zoo and Aquarium Docents Report 1998 1 11 Awards 1993 1 12 Aviary 1974-1978 1 13 Bond Issues 1947-1981 1 14 Breeding Loans 1972-1978 1 15 Camp Fire Hippo 1978-1979 2 1 Children's Zoo 1967-1976 2 2 Chongqing Zoo Exchange (includes photos) 1991-1992 2 3 Collection Plan 2000 2 4 Comprehensive Plan / Forward Thrust 1974-1976 2 5 Conservation 1993-1997 2 6 Correspondence 1906-1948 2 7 Correspondence 1937-1939 2 8 Correspondence 1941-1947 2 9 Correspondence 1948 2 10 Correspondence 1949 2 11 Correspondence 1950 2 12 Correspondence 1951 2 13 Correspondence 1952 2 14 Correspondence 1953 3 1 Correspondence 1954 3 2 Correspondence 1955 3 3 Correspondence 1956 3 4 Correspondence 1957 3 5 Correspondence 1958 3 6 Correspondence 1959 3 7 Correspondence 1960 3 8 Correspondence 1961 3 9 Correspondence 1962 4 1 Correspondence 1963-1964 4 2 Daily Logs 1941 4 3 Daily Logs 1942 4 4 Daily Logs 1943 4 5 Daily Logs 1944 4 6 Daily Logs 1945 4 7 Daily Logs 1946 4 8 Daily Logs 1947 4 9 Daily Logs 1948 4 10 Design Commission 1975-1976 4 11 Docents 1972-1975 4 12 Docents 1976-1980 5 1 Drawings 1947-1978 5 2 Education 1951-1989 5 3 Education - Teacher's Workshops 1978 5 4 Education Center 1994 5 5 Elephants 1981-1996 5 6 Employee Notebook 1981 5 7 Escapes 1993-1996 5 8 Escapes 1997-2000 5 9 Feline House Renovation 1977-1978 5 10 Friends of the Zoo 1977 5 11 Golden Monkey Exhibit 1986 5 12 Gorilla Name Contest 1968 5 13 Horticulture / Landscaping 1956-1982 5 14 Koala Loan 1984-1988 6 1 Legislative Issues 1966-1974 6 2 Legislative Issues 1974-1980 6 3 Long-Range Plan 1976-1977 6 4 Management 1982-1984 6 5 Master Plan 1973 6 6 Mayor's Zoo Action Task Force 1974-1975 6 7 News Releases 1975-1997 6 8 Open Air Theater / Habitat Presentations 1980-1986 6 9 Organization and Job Descriptions 1973 6 10 Personnel and Pay Scales 1960-1962 6 11 Phinney Ridge Community Council 1977-1980 6 12 Policies and Procedures 1975-1993 7 1 Reorganization 1985-1986 7 2 Safety and Accidents 1940-1984 7 3 Savanna Exhibit 1980-1991 7 4 Save Our Elephants Campaign 1983-1988 7 5 Sculptures / Memorials 1925-1981 7 6 Seattle Puppetory Theatre 1979 7 7 Seattle Zoological Society 1965-1973 7 8 Seattle Zoological Society 1974-1976 7 9 Seattle Zoological Society 1977 7 10 Seattle Zoological Society 1978 7 11 Seattle Zoological Society 1979 7 12 Seattle Zoological Society 1980-1996 8 1 Seattle Zoological Society - Agreements with City 1972-1983 8 2 Seattle Zoological Society - Articles of Incorporation 1965-1971 8 3 Seattle Zoological Society - Board and Staff 1977-1998 8 4 Seattle Zoological Society - Minutes 1972-1980 8 5 Seattle Zoological Society - Minutes 1981-1984 8 6 Seattle Zoological Society - Minutes 1978-1985 8 7 Seattle Zoological Society - Fund Raising 1971-1984 8 8 Seattle Zoological Society - Health and Research Committee 1972-1975 8 9 Seattle Zoological Society - Promotions 1979 9 1 Seattle Zoological Society - Treasurer's Reports 1976-1984 9 2 75th Anniversary 1979 9 3 Slaughter Stock 1931 9 4 Speeches and Articles 1973 9 5 Staff Workshop 1987 9 6 Summer Concerts 1986-1996 9 7 Trees and Plants 1987-1991 9 8 Tropical House 1982 9 9 Tropical Rain Forest Exhibit 1992 9 10 Tusko the Elephant 1932-1933 9 11 Volunteers 1981-1990 9 12 Waterfowl Exhibit 1977-1978 9 13 Zoo History 1900-1993 9 14 Zoo Notes in Park Board Minutes 1946-1963 9 15 "Zoo of the Future" Conference 1970 9 16 Zoo Parents 1984-1985 9 17 Zoo Survey 1984 9 18 Zoo Impact Advisory Committee [Neighborhood Relations] 1988 English. 10 1 Zoo Impact Advisory Committee [Neighborhood Relations] 1989 10 2 Zoo Impact Advisory Committee [Neighborhood Relations] 1990 English. 10 3 Zoo Impact Advisory Committee [Neighborhood Relations] 1991 English. 10 4 Zoo Impact Advisory Committee [Neighborhood Relations] 1992 English. 10 5 Zoo Impact Advisory Committee [Neighborhood Relations] 1993 English. 10 6 Zoo Impact Advisory Committee [Neighborhood Relations] 1993 English. 10 7 Zoo Impact Advisory Committee [Neighborhood Relations] 1994 English. 11 1 Zoo Impact Advisory Committee [Neighborhood Relations] 1994 English. 11 2 Zoo Perception Research and Focus Group Questionnaire 1991 English. 11 3 Parking Garage Feedback and Open Houses 2005-2006 English. 11 4 Phinney Ridge Neighborhood Projects and Parking Garage 2002-2006 English. 11 5 Neighborhood Relations and Parking Garage 2005-2006 English. 11 6 Neighborhood Relations and Parking Garage Feedback 2005-2006 English. 11 7 Public Official Speeches and Statements about the Zoo 1993-1994 English. 11 8 King County Zoo Bond Issues 1985 English. 11 9 Henry Moore Art Portfolio Etchings 1987 English. 11 10 Seattle Zoological Society, Correspondence 1980-1989 English. 12 1 Woodland Park Zoological Soceity, Minutes 1986-1988 English. 12 2 Woodland Park Zoological Soceity, Minutes 1989-1991 English. 12 3 Highlights from Board of Park Commissioners Minutes 1902-1947 English. 12 4 Zoo Commission and Public Fundraising Committee 1984 English. 12 5 Keeper's Guide to the Zoos of the Puget Sound Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, in association with Far West Regional Conference. Point Defiance, Tacoma; Stanley Park, Vancouver; Woodland Park, Seattle 1970 English. 13 1 David Hancock [Director] Weekly Zoo Status Reports 1982-1984 English. 13 2 Letter to Mayor Royer after resignation of David Hancock 1984 English. 13 3 A brief survey of non-human primate behavior, for UW Anthropology 380 course [with photographic prints] 1956 English. 13 4 One year study of the Woodland Park Zoological Garden Snow Leopards by Docents Phyllis and Les Riggs 1982 English. 13 5 International Snow Leopard Trust Correspondence 1984 English. 13 6 Bibliography and Research Sources for Woodland Park Zoo History 1991 English. 13 7 Inventory of Movies and Films Created by Woodland Park Zoo 1999 English. 13 8 "Early Days at the Zoo" Cue Sheet / Movie Timestamp Identifications 1935-1955 English. 13 9 "Pony Club" Cue Sheet / Movie Timestamp Identifications 1935 English. 13 10 Legislation 1979-1984 English. 13 11 Legislation 1983 English. 13 12 Funding 1984 English. 13 13 Zoo Administrative Correspondence 1981 English. 14 1 Zoo Administrative Correspondence 1982 English. 14 2 Zoo Administrative Correspondence 1983 English. 14 3 Zoo Administrative Correspondence 1984 English. 14 4 Zoo Administrative Correspondence 1985 English. 14 5 Zoo Administrative Correspondence 1986 English. 14 6 Loan Agreements for Photos and Artifacts 1999 English. 14 7 Visitor Guestbook ["Out of Town Visitors Who Registered at the Woodland Park Zoological Gardens"] 1939 English. 14 8 History Chronology, Timeline and News Clippings 1889-1987 English. 14 9 Collected Zoo Histories 1900-1988 English. 14 10 Newsclippings and Correspondence - Frank Vincenzi undated English. 14 11 Newsclippings, Gus Knudson [photocopied] undated English. 14 12 Newsclippings [photocopied] undated English. 14 13 Photographs - Woodland Park Zoo Elephants, including Tusko. undated English. 15 1 Tusko the Elephant, Newsclippings 1933 English. 15 2 Tusko the Elephant, Early Histories 1890-1932 English. 15 3 Tusko the Elephant, Correspondence 1932-1934 English. 15 4 Tusko the Elephant, Newsclippings circa 1932 English. 15 5 Tusko the Elephant, Costs 1932 English. 15 6 Tusko the Elephant, Fund Campaigns 1933 English. 15 7 Tusko the Elephant, Last Days and Death 1932-1933 English. 15 8 Tusko the Elephant, Post-Mortem 1933 English. 15 9 Elephants 1961-1989 English. 15 10 Elephants, Newsclippings [photocopied] 1920-1929 English. 15 11 Zoo History, Timeline, and 1 photograph of Baby Orangutans 1900-1950 English. 15 12 Capital Campaign - Kresge Foundation 1991 English. 15 13 Long Range Plan 1986 English. 15 14 Save Our Elephants, Printed campaign materials 1984-1985 English. 16 1 Save Our Elephants 1984-1985 English. 16 2 Save Our Elephants 1984-1985 English. 16 3 Save Our Elephants 1975-1984 English. 17 1 Save Our Elephants 1984 English. 17 2 Save Our Elephants 1984-1985 English. 17 3 Save Our Elephants 1985 English. 17 4 Save Our Elephants 1984-1989 English. 17 5 Morgan Berry animal importation + sales 1949-1979 18 1 Purchase of panther + camel 1951 18 2 Japanese Ueno Zoological Gardens porcupine + salamander transactions (includes photo) 1952 18 3 Letter, Lowman family (donors of Bobo) 1953 18 4 Corresponence, Dee Gleed (coordinated purchase of Elmer the elephant) 1954-1959 18 5 Seattle Zoological Society 1970-1974 18 6 "People and the Zoo" student research paper 1972 18 7 Violation of importation of starlings 1972 18 8 Zoo visitor survey 1972 18 9 Agreements between City of Seattle and Seattle Zoological Society 1972-1974 18 10 Dian Fossey lecture, correspondence, and articles (includes photos) 1972-1986 18 11 Lowland Gorilla birth 1977 18 12 Patti Croasmun summaries of staff weekly reports 1975-1976 18 13 David Hancocks' weekly reports 1976 18 14 Zoo visitor survey 1978 18 15 Weekly reports 1980-1982 18 16 David Townes' weekly reports 1984-1985 18 17 Keepers-in-training 1985 18 18 Letter concerning Dr. C.C. Tiffin + memories of the zoo in the 1930s 1999 18 19 Neighborhood Liaison Group 2002-2003 18 20 Zoo operations + management agreement - ordinance + resolution 2004 18 21