6 The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
A History of a City Treasure
Brian A. Little
The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is a city treasure for both the citizens of Jacksonville and the tourists. I chose to write about the zoo due to wanting to learn more about the history of the zoo and its purpose. There is a strong possibility that everyone in Jacksonville has heard about the Zoo. However, it has a rich and surprising history. This essay will delve into that history and examine the history of two elephants, animal care, and the benefits zoos provide for wild and endangered animals. The zoo has come a long way since its origins in the Springfield neighborhood in Downtown Jacksonville. For the citizens of Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens remains a city treasure for all to enjoy.
The history of the of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens may surprise the residents of Jacksonville. Before the Zoo existed, there were attempts to have an animal display in Jacksonville. In 1888, Jacksonville hosted the Sub-Tropical Exposition with plants and live animals, but the Yellow Fever Epidemic torpedoed the event. Next, Charles D. Fraiser opened an ostrich farm in the 1890s on the Eastside, but he moved it to St. Augustine which became the Alligator Farm in the 1920s. The next attempt at a zoo was Dixieland Park that opened in 1907 and closed in 1908. Eventually, the Zoo, known as the Municipal Zoo, opened on May 12, 1914.1 Jacksonville Park Commissioner Sydney Smith started the zoo at Third and Broad Streets near Hogan Creek with a single animal: a red tail deer. Called the Municipal Zoo, it grew fast with the support of the citizens of Jacksonville.
Superintendent Sydney Smith worked hard in making sure the Municipal Zoo was a success. Shortly after the Zoo opened, Smith took a trip to Atlanta, Georgia. He wanted to “study their park systems, and how to apply it” to the Municipal Zoo along with learning how to provide better housing, better caring, and feeding of the animals.2 Smith also credited the citizens of Jacksonville and the children for their support of the Zoo. The Superintendent stated that the children “are enthusiastic workers who contributed small animals like rabbits and squirrels and contributed pennies and nickels” to help in the “purchase of an elephant or other notable animals.”3 The next superintendent, St. Elmo W. “Chic” Acosta, took on the desire and drive to provide the Zoo with an elephant years later. However, the fast growth of the Zoo created problems for Jacksonville.
First, the Zoo was nearly wiped out in a flood on December 21, 1916, when Hogans Creek overflowed its banks. Second, the nearby residents started to complain about the smell of the animals and their feces. “Chic” Acosta (who succeeded Smith in 1919) and the city leaders knew that the Zoo needed to move to a new location and an 11-acre spot was chosen near the Trout River.4 The city council approved the budget to move the Zoo and to provide monies for the convict l