Lincoln Park Zoo

“My grandfather used to bring me to the zoo every summer. It’s one of my most cherished memories, one that I’m trying to pass on to my two small children.”
-Steve Dudek

“I often remember a summer afternoon on a swan boat—I paddled, my four-year-old looked for fish and my fourteen-year-old pushed to go faster, all while my wife and two-year-old waved from shore.”
-Dennis Furniss

“My parents used to bring me to the zoo when I was a child, and my husband and I carry on the tradition by visiting with our five granddaughters. This past summer we had all of them on the carousel, and they were so excited that they didn’t want to stop—they just kept riding and riding and riding.”
-Casey Paw

When my son was much younger (he’s now 43), Mike the Polar Bear was at the top of his list as the most beloved animal at the zoo. We visited Mike at least once a week, if not more often. One day we arrived for our visit to find a large crowd of observers and TV cameras from local channels—it turned out that Mike was having his tooth pulled by a dentist. My son was awed by this scene and was filmed by at least one of the crews. Neither of us have forgotten this event, and we have fond memories of Mike.
-Barbara Kaufman

My memories started in the 50s—when I lived in the city as a nursing student at Wesley Memorial Hospital. My husband and I walked around the zoo at dusk (pre-fence) while “courting.” This was 1954. In the early 60s, my mother would take my daughters (age 3 and 4) for picnics at the Conservatory. Now I take my grandchildren and am a zoo member.
-Jeannine Brattstrom

I was born and raised in Chicago and enjoyed Lincoln Park Zoo as a child and then as a mother. I was fortunate to have been able to spend 10 years as a volunteer in Guest Services before my husband, Barry, and I retired to Arizona. The more we travel, the more we realize what a jewel you have in the middle of a city, and we enjoy maintaining our commitment to the zoo and will continue to contribute as long as we are able. Our thanks to Kimberly Madrid for being our connection with the zoo. She has been so helpful when we had questions or needed some long-distance assistance.
-Linda Ullman

I am 66 years old, but many, many years ago Lincoln Park Zoo had pony rides. I can remember crying because I was petrified of the ponies and also crying because my parents wouldn’t allow me to “hug” the elephant.
-Judith Burton-Davis

I run along the lake and by the zoo nearly every day. One of my favorite things to do is to end my run by walking through the zoo. There is no more tranquil and peaceful pleasure then cooling down with the big cats!
-Paul Donnell

My favorite memory is when I took my 3-year-old granddaughter to ZooLights. We had a great evening and were going to have popcorn. In the course of the evening, I must have lost my money. We were sitting on a bench, going through my bottomless purse. I explained to my granddaughter that somehow all my money was gone. She was disappointed but understood. A lady next to me told my granddaughter not to worry and handed me money to buy her a popcorn and a drink. I so wanted to return the money to her and send her a note from my granddaughter and myself.
-Stella Black

I went to high school in the 30s at Francis W. Parker and often walked over to watch Bushman. Now I bring my grandkids to see the sights.
-Horace Jordan

I have shared this story with some of your staff. In 2006 I adopted a lion for my 8-year-old nephew—his thank you was, “This is the best gift a kid could every get!!” Your staff made it even more special by letting us take a private tour behind the scenes when he came to visit me during the summer. He loved it so much, he is going to stay with me for a week this summer to attend one of your camps. P.S. I regularly check on the lion to make sure he is being taken care of!
-Cathy Lazaroff

The first time I came to Lincoln Park Zoo was back when I was a small kid. I liked the zoo so much that I bring my relatives that visit from India and Pakistan to the zoo whenever they come to visit me.
- Soleman Hashmi

I was born and raised in Chicago and lived within walking distance of Lincoln Park Zoo. At that time, even as youngsters, we were allowed to walk to the park and enjoy the zoo.

My most vivid memory was of Bushman—the lowland gorilla housed at the zoo. I could stand for hours and watch this magnificent animal. In adulthood, this memory started me on a quest for anything with a gorilla on it. I now have quite a collection of gorilla statues, plates, pictures, etc,. some from Lincoln Park Zoo. My brother took a picture of the bronze plaque that was in front of his cage (since stolen) and made it into wood plaque for me.

In fact, for our 25th wedding anniversary, my husband had a six-thousand-pound concrete gorilla delivered to our home in Michigan and placed in our back yard. Because of our winters, a concrete foundation had to put down to avoid damage to the statue from shifting due to cold temperatures. As my husband said, “It’s our silver anniversary—so I got you a silverback.” Of course his name is Bushman, and his picture has appeared in the Flint Journal newspaper, also giving the reason for his name.

I have attended several seminars through the Smithsonian Institute at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. At a reception I was asked by the Director of the National Zoo how I became interested in zoos. I told him about spending so much of my childhood at Lincoln Park Zoo. I explained that as children we thought that we owned not just Lincoln Park, but the zoo as well. Because Lincoln Park Zoo was free, a family could make a day out of taking their children to the zoo—and children could go the zoo alone and enjoy seeing and learning about the world of animals. He said that he was going to tell the board of the National Zoo about this experience the next time they considered charging a fee for entrance to the National Zoo! It was also wonderful to hear from him how highly Lincoln Park Zoo is thought of—and how it is one of the very few zoos in the country that do not charge an entrance fee.

Now many years later—and in a different state—I still feel that I owe a debt of gratitude to Lincoln Park Zoo for all the time I spent there and the education and fun that it offered me in my childhood and continues to offer the citizens of Chicago. For the same reasons, by brother David Strachan, is a docent with the Lincoln Park Zoo. Oh how I wish I could be as well. Still, we are both giving back to the Lincoln Park Zoo so that those who follow us can have this same wonderful experience.
-Margaret (Stratchan) Rudder

I remember, in the late 1960s, my brother, an amateur herpetologist at the time, having trouble with a snake, and Lincoln Park Zoo staff referred him to Dr. Maschgan. He became a “professional” herpetologist, and I’ve been grooming dogs for over 40 years. I support the conservation and educational mission of LPZ.
-Robyn Michaels