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The National Zoological Park

Click here for a short history
of the National Zoological Park

Buffaloes in thier yard, National Zoological Park, 1891 Negative number: 9039
Buffaloes ranging at the National Zoological Park in 1891, soon after the completion of the first building, a house for bison and elk. In the background an elk in his yard is visible. Photo by C. M. Bell.

Visitors to the south ford of Rock Creek, ca. 1891 Negative number: 75-1702
Visitors to the south ford of Rock Creek in the National Zoological Park, ca. 1891.

Alligators in the Animal House, National Zoological Park, 1900 Negative number: 14349
Alligators in their enclosure in the original Animal House,1900. The Animal House was the first permanent building at the National Zoological Park. The alligators are shown in the "temporary" wooden wing of the structure. They were given more spacious accommodiations when the Reptile House was completed in 1931.

Elephant House, National Zoological Park, 1903 Negative number: 15533
Brick Elephant House designed by Hornblower and Marshall for the National Zoological Park, 1903. Begun in September 1902 and completed in January 1903, the elephant was put in the house on March 12, 1903.

Golden and Bald Eagles in their cage, NZP, 1904 Negative number: 15534
The Golden and Bald Eagles in the Eagle Cage at the National Zoological Park soon after its completion, 1903.

Ice skaters on Rock Creek, National Zoological Park, 1905 Negative number: 16840
Ice Skaters on Rock Creek on the grounds of the National Zoological Park, 1905.

Easter Egg Roll on Lion and Tiger Hill,  early 1900's Negative number: 16831
The Annual Easter Egg Roll on Easter Monday at the National Zoological Park in the early 1900's. By the turn of the century the Zoo had become a popular spot to spend Easter Monday. Crowds spent the day seeing the animals, picnicking, and enjoying the Annual Easter Egg Roll on Lion and Tiger Hill, shown here. The Zoo officials called Easter Tuesday "The Cleanup Day."

C.W.A. workers constructing path to Bird House, 1934 Negative number: 94-517
Civil Works Administration Project workers constructing the trail to the Bird House, March 1934. The Bird House appears in the background. Depression era programs allowed the zoo to build and renovate many facilities. Photo by E. Hardy.

Smokey Bear in pool at the National Zoological Park Negative number: 92-3559
The original Smokey Bear frolicking in a pool at the National Zoological Park. Smokey Bear was brought from New Mexico in June of 1950 after being burned as a cub from a forest fire that swept through a portion of the Lincoln National Forest. Smokey Bear served as a living symbol of the Smokey Bear forest fire prevention program. Photo by Francie Schroeder.

Giant pandas playing in their enclosure, National Zoological Park, 1985 Negative number: 96-1378
Ling-Ling (left) and Hsing-Hsing, the National Zoological Park's Giant Pandas, playing together in their outside enclosure, 1985. Photo by Jessie Cohen.

President Ronald Reagan pats baby elephant on head at NZP Negative number: 95-268
National Zoological Park baby elephant Jayathu receives a pat from President Ronald Reagan upon her arrival in this country from Sri Lanka, 1983. Photo by Jessie Cohen.

Zabras out to pasture at the zoo's Conservation and Research Center Negative number: 96-1377
Jill, Sheba, Flo, Susana and Shirley, zebras at the National Zoological Park's Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia, out to pasture, 1979. Photo by Leo Slaughter.

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