For 75 years, Emporia’s zoo has delighted community members and visitors alike.
Now, it’s time to celebrate.
“We want to invite the public to come enjoy what we have to offer, and it will be in birthday style,” said zoo director Lisa Keith.
The celebration is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday and includes clowns, a giant slide, bounce house, and — in true birthday form — balloons, cupcakes and ice cream.
Through the years, the zoo has evolved from an informal exhibit at Peter Pan Park to a fully operational, accredited zoo at Soden’s Grove Park.
The zoo was founded in 1934 and originally consisted of deer pens at Peter Pan Park. The Monkey Island later was built as a Works Progress Administration project. The zoo moved to Soden’s Grove in the 1950s, although the monkey exhibit remained at Peter Pan for several more years. In 1973, the monkey exhibit was converted to a waterfowl exhibit.
Further development of the zoo was spurred in 1978 by the creation of a master plan to upgrade and expand the zoo exhibits. That same year, Emporians interested in preserving and improving the zoo formed the Emporia Friends of the Zoo, an organization whose purpose was to help fund improvements and upkeep. Since then, EFOZ has set up a permanent trust fund for zoo activities, and its members remain active in exhibits and programming.
In the following years, the zoo continued improving and expanding to become the facility Emporians love today.
“The zoo has evolved from a very rough exterior to now what is considered one of the gems of the Flint Hills,” Keith said.
The public’s interest in the zoo is evident in the numbers of people who visit each year. Last year’s attendance was about 64,000, and so far this year 56,329 people have visited, putting the zoo on track to beat last year’s numbers. Separate events also draw large crowds; over 300 people attended this year’s Stroll and Show, in which the public was invited to view a movie at the zoo.
“We’re going to try to do that again next year,” Keith said.
Keeping up with the birthday party theme, the zoo is welcoming gifts from the public. Items needed can be found at Bluestem Farm & Ranch, L&L Pets, Walmart and Waters True Value. The wish list also can be viewed on the zoo’s Web site.
In working on plans for the 75th birthday celebration, Keith said she looked for photographs depicting the zoo throughout the years. She found quite a few recent pictures, but was unsuccessful in finding older photos. Anyone who knows of older photos showing the zoo in the past, particularly when it was at Peter Pan Park, are encouraged to contact the zoo office at 341-4365. Keith is interested in making a collage that will show the zoo throughout its history.
“Seventy-five years is a big feat,” Keith said. “The zoo’s come a long way.”