The History of the Indianapolis Zoo
In the Beginning
 The
media have always served as a catalyst for action. That was the
case in the early 1940s when newspaper columnist Lowell B.
Nussbaum began voicing his dream of establishing a zoo in
Indianapolis. Through his column "Inside Indianapolis," which
first appeared in the Indianapolis Times and then the
Indianapolis Star, Nussbaum campaigned for a zoo. The columns
spurred community leaders into action, and on October 24, 1944,
Articles of Incorporation for the Indianapolis Zoological
Society, Inc., were filed with the Indiana Secretary of State.
Over the next few months, the founder members elected directors,
outlined goals, approved bylaws, and discussed possible sites
for the facility. One goal, which still holds today, is that the
Zoo depends upon admissions, in-park sales, contributions and
memberships to support it.
 As
the effects of World War II were felt, momentum for the Zoo
slowed, but the Society continued to meet. The collection of
animals and planning of exhibits went on, a site was determined,
and fundraising goals were met. As happens with many plans,
however, the Society met with some resistance. Neighbors of
George Washington Park, the future site of the Zoo, did not want
a zoo in their backyards. They sued the city and the Zoo, hoping
to have the site lease voided. The court upheld the lease and
dismissed the case, and on August 6, 1962, construction began.
Two decades after the Indianapolis Zoological Society was
founded, with the diligence, hard work, and the benevolence of
many, the Indianapolis Zoo opened on April 18, 1964 at the
original East 30th Street location. Today, because of the
persistence of a newspaper columnist and dedication of other
community leaders, the Indianapolis Zoo is one of the state's
most popular tourist attractions.
The First Zoo
The Zoo was first considered a children's zoo with an Asian
elephant, penguins, kangaroos, foxes, raccoons, camels, bison,
deer, lambs, tortoises, llamas, prairie dogs, pygmy goats, and
buffalo exhibits. The Zoo could be identified by the Dutch
windmill at the entrance, replicas of a 19-foot-tall giraffe and
a giant blue whale, and the Hoosier Barn. The building of the
North American Plains, Australian exhibit, Water Fowl Lake, and
the Education Center followed soon after. In that inaugural
year, the Zoo welcomed 270,000 visitors.
Over the next 22 years, the Zoo saw many additions, facelifts,
and reconstruction. In 1965, the Zoo was one of a few in the
country to employ a full-time education staff. Partly through
donations of personal “pets,” the Zoo acquired more elephants,
several species of monkeys and cats, armadillos, zebras,
alligators, seals, wallabies, a bald eagle, and more. By the
Zoo's 20th anniversary, its collection had doubled in size. The
designation as a children's zoo had long outlasted its use, and
the Zoo needed a new and bigger site.
In 1982, the Zoo held a first ever-symposium of international
zoo, aquarium and wildlife authorities. Together, they
established goals for developing a new world-class zoo. The
founders knew it was important to preserve natural habitats,
showcase diversity in species, and observe natural behaviors in
order to save endangered species in the wild. The cageless
concept of biomes and simulated natural environments would play
a major role. Since the Indianapolis Zoo's 1964 opening, zoos
have become more than a place to see animals; they are
institutions of conservation and education.
The New Zoo
In June 1982, a letter of intent was signed declaring White
River State Park the site of the new Zoo. Officials realized
that the Zoo needed to be located in a more visible and
accessible site, and a location in the heart of downtown
Indianapolis would draw more visitors. Families visiting the Zoo
could also spend part of the day downtown shopping or visiting
other cultural institutions. The relationship would boost the
city's economy and transform the still new White River State
Park from a dream into a reality.
Once again, a massive fundraising campaign was launched. With
the help of many community leaders, foundations and
corporations, as well as 5,000 Zoo supporters, the
groundbreaking celebration took place in September 1985 at the
new downtown location. The Indianapolis Zoo was to be the first
attraction of the White River State Park.
As construction neared an end, the 23 years of the old Zoo came
to a close. On November 1, 1987, the old Zoo closed its gates
after the last of the five and a half million visitors departed
and began preparation for the opening of the new Zoo. With the
arrival of new animals, the Zoo grew to five times its former
size. Before the opening, staff continued working hard to adapt
to new exhibits, equipment and employees. Much training was
needed, and the relocation of 500 animals took weeks to prepare
and execute.
On June 11, 1988, a new era of the Indianapolis Zoo began. It is
a place where animals, plants, and people connect; a place where
research and conservation efforts are on-going and Zoo staff
have been named to key positions in the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (AZA); and, a place where students from all over the
state can tour important behind-the-scenes facilities without
leaving the classroom. These things didn't happen all at once,
but today each function plays an important role in the Zoo's
mission of fostering a sense of stewardship for the Earth's
plants and animals.
With the construction of the Waters Building, and later the
Dolphin Pavilion, the Zoo earned accreditation from AZA as a zoo
and an aquarium. Then in 1996, the Indianapolis Zoo became the
first institution in the nation to be accredited as a zoo,
aquarium and botanical garden, the latter honor coming from the
American Association of Museums (AAM) in recognition of the
outstanding and very extensive botanical work done throughout
the Zoo grounds by its in-house horticultural staff.
Since the Zoo's opening in June of 1988, many exhibits have been
added. The efforts of the horticulture staff can be seen
throughout the Zoo in every biome, as plants play an important
role in transforming the Indianapolis cityscape into Oceans,
Forests, Plains, and Deserts environments. The Zoo has more than
1,900 species of plants in its collection.
The Zoo's mission of educating the public can be seen on any
given day. From summer camps, to overnights, to informational
signage at exhibits, the Zoo strives to provide visitors with
the knowledge necessary to actively pursue the conservation of the Earth's vast resources,
not only for plants and animals, but also for ourselves. That is
the message of the Indianapolis Zoo - all life is interconnected
and when one piece suffers, the effects are felt by all. The
vision of the founders still is shared today, as the Zoo
provides the public with the necessary tools for the
appreciation and preservation of life.
History of White River Gardens
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