[Loscho_Enews] Everett’s Forest Park Zoo History

[Snocoheritage]

*Requiem for Rosie: Everett’s Forest Park Zoo*



Everett’s Forest Park once operated an exotic animal zoo, with lions,
bears, wallabies, monkeys, elephants, and many more mammals and birds. The
zoo is little remembered today, but the library’s fifth “Smokestack
Soundbites” podcast, “Requiem for Rosie,” aims to unearth some memories.



Everett’s zoo operated from 1914 to 1976. The podcast places Everett as
just one of many smaller cities offering collections of zoo animals to the
public. It was a time of the “do-it-yourself” spirit, when well- meaning
amateurs took on impossible roles—like running zoos on a shoestring. Though
Forest Park Zoo had over 200 animals at one time, there was very little
budget, so Park Director Oden Hall had to grow food for the animals, plus
make daily visits to butcher shops for meat scraps for the carnivores.
Rosie the elephant, who came to the zoo in 1951, was the zoo’s superstar.



The library’s Van Ramsey narrates the eight-minute-long podcast, written by
librarian Cameron Johnson. Images used are from the Northwest Room
archives, the news columns of the Herald, souvenir postcards from the zoo,
and images of other zoos. The podcast includes music and sound effects as
well. View the short but engaging podcast at
*http://epls.org/find/podcasts/smokestack-soundbites/requiem-rosie
<http://epls.org/find/podcasts/smokestack-soundbites/requiem-rosie>. *



The library is interested in producing an expanded report on the Forest
Park Zoo. Anyone having home movies, maps, flyers, clippings or other
documents about the zoo, please call 425.257.7640 or email
libref at everettwa.gov



Everett Library’s Audiovisual Committee has received several historical and
educational awards for past podcasts, including the Public Education Award
by the Washington State Department of Historic Preservation in May 2009 for
the library’s production of the Evergreen Cemetery Podcast Tour, and two
Malstrom Awards, given by the League of Snohomish County Heritage
Organizations.

forwarded by --
Karen Prasse
League of Snohomish County Heritage Organizations
info at snocoheritage.org
www.snocoheritage.org