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All the United States Michigan Detroit Detroit Children's Zoo
Detroit Children's Zoo is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

AO Edited

Detroit Children's Zoo

The bones of an old zoo crumbling in the shadow of a new one.

Detroit, Michigan

Added By
zackofalltrades
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Losing daylight   Ovrdoseofdanger / Atlas Obscura User
Losing daylight   Ovrdoseofdanger / Atlas Obscura User
One of the Huts located in the Zoo   TravelwithAustin / Atlas Obscura User
Former exit of the zoo not forever closed   TravelwithAustin / Atlas Obscura User
  lyona2 / Atlas Obscura User
  lyona2 / Atlas Obscura User
  lyona2 / Atlas Obscura User
Calander from 2000, old zoo tickets   lyona2 / Atlas Obscura User
  lyona2 / Atlas Obscura User
  lyona2 / Atlas Obscura User
The empty animal pens. (Photo by lundgrenphotography via Flickr)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/7201771@N03/8...
Nature overtaking the park.   zackofalltrades
Much of the site is marred by graffiti. (Image via Toledo Talk)   OhioKimono
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About

Not far from the boat clubs and picnic spots on Detroit's Belle Isle are the abandoned remains of the once bustling Detroit Children's Zoo.

Opened in 1895 as the Belle Isle Zoo, this now-overgrown site was rechristened The Detroit Children's Zoo in 1947, and then Safariland in the 1980's, adding an "African" architectural theme which remained until the park closed. Eventually, the site fell victim to corruption and economic woes, leaving the empty enclosures to be slowly reclaimed by the island's flora.

The facility was home to the expected assortment of animals over the years, such as monkeys, snakes, and bears, but the zoo's most noteworthy residents were the herd of rare fallow deer that were native to Belle Isle, and were moved into the zoo as they were encroached on by the push of civilization. In 2002 the zoo delayed opening due to lack of attendance, after which then-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick decided to shutter the park permanently.     

In 2004, a local campaign to reopen the zoo was undertaken and met with success. A bond was issued to finance the a renovation, but Mayor Kilpatrick used the funds to build an all new Detroit Zoo on the opposite end of the island using construction contractors he happened to have personal ties with. The old children's zoo was forgotten, and ended up just another abandoned structure in a city already rife with ruin.    

Related Tags

Abandoned Ruins Zoos Animals

Community Contributors

Added By

zackofalltrades

Edited By

Aditi R, EricGrundhauser, lyona2, Ovrdoseofdanger...

  • Aditi R
  • EricGrundhauser
  • lyona2
  • Ovrdoseofdanger
  • TravelwithAustin

Published

July 29, 2013

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Sources
  • http://detroiturbex.com/content/parksandrec/bizoo/
  • https://roadtrippers.com/us/detroit-mi/points-of-interest/abandoned-belle-isle-children-s-zoo
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/detroit-abandoned-zoo-belle-isle-photos_n_3989534
Detroit Children's Zoo
Detroit, Michigan, 48207
United States
42.340618, -82.9813

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Detroit

Detroit

Michigan

Places 47
Stories 18

Nearby Places

Belle Isle Aquarium

Detroit, Michigan

miles away

Nancy Brown Peace Carillon

Detroit, Michigan

miles away

Heidelberg Project

Detroit, Michigan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Detroit

Detroit

Michigan

Places 47
Stories 18

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