Designed by Boston architect William Ralph Emerson, the Buffalo House, above and below, was the first structure completed at the newly established National Zoological Park.
I believe National Zoo's Buffalo House was built in 1890. It looks very similar to Berlin Zoo's Buffalo House. In Vernon N. Kisling Jr's. superb book "Zoo and Aquarium History" 2001 CRC Press LLC, it say's "Two other house's, the Russian blockhouse for European bison and the Indian blockhouse for American bison, are still extant", but I could not find a date when they were built by Ludwig Heck who became Director in 1888. Does anyone know who built the first "log cabin" buffalo house, National or Berlin?
Although Kisling state's that the Russian blockhouse and the Indian blockhouse are extant today, it looks looks different from the third photo above. Did just the cupola's and roof line change or were the change's more extensive? The Indian bison blockhouse looks more like a "blockhouse" then the Russian blockhouse for European Bison does?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Vintage National Zoo
Vintage National Zoo
Designed by Boston architect William Ralph Emerson, the Buffalo House, above and below, was the first structure completed at the newly established National Zoological Park.
I believe National Zoo's Buffalo House was built in 1890. It looks very similar to Berlin Zoo's Buffalo House. In Vernon N. Kisling Jr's. superb book "Zoo and Aquarium History" 2001 CRC Press LLC, it say's "Two other house's, the Russian blockhouse for European bison and the Indian blockhouse for American bison, are still extant", but I could not find a date when they were built by Ludwig Heck who became Director in 1888.
Vintage National Zoo
Dr. William Mann, Director of the National Zoo, above in 1925 and below a scan of a picture from one of a number of book's he authored, titled "Wild animals in and out of the Zoo" published in 1930.
Chapter 5 The Big Cats:
DURING the forty years of the National Zoological Park's
existence there have been fifty-one lions in the collec-
tion, some on short loans, others as permanent deposits.
Thirteen years for one and fifteen and a half years for
another constitute the records for longevity. The lion
attains maturity at about five years of age. At eight he
is in the prime of life, and after that steadily declines.
It is interesting to note that at the zoo in Dublin, famous
for its success in raising lions, the record for longevity
in a female is eleven years.
Nineteen baby lions have been born in the National
Zoological Park. Unfortunately, a number of these sprang
from very poor stock. Caste exists among lions as in
other animals, and for a number of years ours were
distinctly "low brow." However, the mayor and citizens
of Johannesberg in South Africa presented to President
Coolidge a pair of cubs, and these are growing up into
magnificent lions.
Dunk(should have named him Dink), pictured above is what I would consider a "homely" elephant. The other day there was discussion that possibly an elephant physical issue's/features might possibly be environmental and not genetic, and if genetic why propagate it. I find interesting this excerpt from chapter IX Elephants Good and Bad, in Dr. Mann's book and the statement " He was a second-class elephant (grade dwasala)." I have searched and searched for anything published about "grading/judging" Asian elephant's and can's seem to find anything substantial. Does anyone know of any books or studies done on the "grading/judging" of elephants in Asia?
Chapter 9 Elephants Good and Bad:
FROM the time they arrived at Rock Creek and so launched
the National Zoo as a physical fact, the elephants pre-
sented to the United States by a traveling circus made
Zoo history. Mr. Blackburne recalls some of the high
lights of their career herewith:
National Zoological Park were Dunk and Gold-dust,
male Indian elephants presented to the Government on
April 30, 1891, by James E. Cooper, owner of the Adam
Forepaugh Circus. Secretary Langley of the Smith-
sonian, Dr. Frank Baker, Mr. A. B. Baker, and I visited
the circus to accept the gift. Mr. Cooper found it neces-
sary to dispose of the animals because of their vicious
disposition. Dunk was an elephant fighter and frequently
charged the other male elephants of the show. Separating
them was a dangerous task. When we got him, Dunk
weighed 6,040 pounds, and his age was estimated at
twenty-five years. He was a second-class elephant
(grade dwasala) and fairly easy to handle except during
the must period. Some years before his death he became
weak in the hips and joints of the hind legs. Because of
this condition he was unable to lie down, and so slept
standing up, leaning against the wall. Paralysis of the
trunk followed, when it became difficult for him to bring
food and water to his mouth. During the early hours of
March 30, 1917, while sleeping in his accustomed position,
he lost his balance, and fell forward to the floor, breaking
his shoulder. He was of such dead weight that the bone
protruded through the hide.
Vintage National Zoo
Is this the same building depicted in the photo's below? I recall reading that one of the original buildings at the National Zoo was an "octagon" shaped building that housed a number of animals including elephants, elk and buffalo, for a time.
Close to Vintage, but not quite--National Zoo 1985
It doesn't seem that the removal of bar's and the addition of a moat stopped the practice of feeding the elephants.
Vintage National Zoo--1919
Note the sign on the top left. I wonder if it fell down, or the folks below chose to ignore it.
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