The Lake Superior Zoo, previously known as the Duluth Zoo, is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo in

Duluth , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

Founding

The Lake Superior Zoo was founded in 1923 by a

West Duluth West Duluth refers to an official neighborhood district in the west–central part of Duluth, Minnesota, United States. Grand Avenue, Central Avenue, Cody Street, and Interstate Highway 35 are four of the main routes in West Duluth. Other main ro ...

businessman, Bert Onsgard, when he built a pen for his

white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

"Billy". This helped his vision spread through the community, who in turn helped him build the zoo. The Pittsburgh Steel Company donated a rail car of fencing, people donated exotic pets, and school children raised money to buy two lion cubs. A bridge was built over Kingsbury Creek, which runs through the zoo. The zoo went through some difficult years during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

but eventually managed to build an elephant house. After some very successful years it acquired more animals native to the area.

Collection

Bessie, the elephant, was one of the zoo's first star attractions. She came to the zoo at the age of 12 in 1937 when the elephant house opened. The zoo's website states:

Before perimeter fencing was installed around the zoo, Bessie would often wander off the zoo grounds and go "visiting." One recounting of an event tells of a neighbor who had to call a zookeeper one evening because Bessie was standing on his front porch. In his haste, the zookeeper ran out the door in his pajamas to retrieve Bessie. When he got there, he simply took her trunk, pulled it over his shoulder, and walked her back to the zoo.
History of the Lake Superior Zoo
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Bessie remained at the zoo until she died in 1974 at the age of 49. Valerie was a

Himalayan black bear The Himalayan black bear (''Ursus thibetanus laniger'') is a subspecies of the Asian black bear found in the Himalayas of India, Bhutan, Nepal, China, and Pakistan. Description It is distinguished from '' U. t. thibetanus'' by its longer, thicke ...

who had been a mascot for a World War II bomber unit. She was donated to the zoo in 1946. Mr. Magoo was a

mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to so ...

who was smuggled into Duluth. It had been a pet on a ship that sailed from

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

(now

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

), India to Duluth. After arriving, the seaman who had smuggled him in decided the troublesome animal needed a new home, and donated him to the zoo. However, federal law prohibited the possession of a mongoose and it was ordered that it be euthanized. Following much public outcry about the order, Secretary of the Interior

Stewart Udall Stewart Lee Udall (January 31, 1920 – March 20, 2010) was an American politician and later, a federal government official. After serving three terms as a congressman from Arizona, he served as Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969, unde ...

granted a pardon that spared his life. Mr. Magoo remained at the Duluth zoo until his death in 1968. Bubba was a polar bear loved for his personality and playfulness. Bubba was 17 years old and passed away due to liver disease on August 8, 2007. As a cub, Bubba came to Lake Superior Zoo in 1990.

References

External links

* {{authority control Zoos in Minnesota Tourist attractions in Duluth, Minnesota Buildings and structures in Duluth, Minnesota