Vintage Monkey Islands--Topeka Zoo

The Topeka Zoo opened its gates in 1933 after the first planned animal exhibits were built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

The featured attraction was Monkey Island, which included a miniature city hall building and trapeze surrounded by a moat containing sea lions. The monkeys could sit in windows labeled with the titles of city officials.

The monkeys discovered how to open their cages and kept getting out and roaming over Gage Park(Topeka Zoo). That led to the director of the London Zoo advising then Topeka director Gary Clarke to give the monkeys their own key so they could come and go as they pleased. The bloody Brits!!!!!!

'It is a shame our current elected officials can't convince our nitwit Food Stamp President of the benefits of the Works Progress Administration. The folks could get busy clearing brush and palmetto's for the National Elephant Center and then assist with construction. It could be finished in record time, far short of it's estimated cost then given the same advantage's and tax benefits as TES and PAWS.'