The Franklin Park Zoo is a 72 acres (290,000 m2) zoo located in Boston, Massachusetts. It is currently operated by Zoo New England, which also operates the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts. The zoo is located in the northeast portion of Franklin Park, Boston’s largest park and the last component of the city’s famed Emerald Necklace.
The zoo was opened to the public in 1912, and managed by the City of Boston until 1958, when the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) took control. Under the MDC’s management, the zoo opened several new exhibits, including Bird's World (c. 1975), the Children’s Zoo (1984), and the African Tropical Forest (1989).
In 1991, the zoo’s management was handed over to the Commonwealth Zoological Corporation (CZS), which also gained management of the Stone Zoo. (In July 1997, the CZS was renamed Zoo New England to “reflect the changing image of both zoos”.) The zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1990.
These vintage photos from Boston Public Library were taken by American photographer Leslie Ronald Jones (1886-1967) that show animals at Franklin Park Zoo from between the 1910s and 1930s.
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| Animals - By gosh, shoot to kill, Franklin Park |
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| Adjutant stork, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Black bears, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Brown bears Lizzie, Minka, and Lillie, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Buffalo - Mothers and young, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Camels - Mother and young, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Deer and pigeons eat together, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Ducks at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Elephants bathing at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Elephants bathing at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Elk, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Elk, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Eskimo dogs at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Eskimo dogs at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Franklin Park Zoo: "Cooling off" red deer in trough |
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| Franklin Park Zoo: Baby deer has lunch |
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| Franklin Park Zoo: Brown bear scratching back on rock |
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| Franklin Park Zoo: Brown bears and cubs |
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| Franklin Park Zoo: Mother and baby bear Miner and Rose |
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| Franklin Park Zoo: Polar bear Fatima stands on two feet |
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| Franklin Park Zoo: Yak standing in water trough to cool off |
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| Happy the hippo laughing in Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Kangaroo mother and young, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Large cats, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Lion at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Lions, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Mame the lioness poses for her picture |
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| Man reaches into hippo's mouth, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Manicuring Waddy's toenails at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Peacock in full bloom, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Polar bears at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Polar bears at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Raccoons in winter, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Red deer, Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Russian brown bears are of great interest at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Tom the lion at Franklin Park Zoo. He just woke up |
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| Tony the elephant getting swept off by Dan Harkins in the elephant house |
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| Zebra at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Zebras and sacred cows get friendly at Franklin Park Zoo |
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| Zebras at Franklin Park Zoo |
