Zoo

There are some pretty amazing stories about the Petoskey Zoo, which was located where Winter Sports Park is now. It began around 1904 and was there until about 1925. Three black bears from Acme arrived in 1904. A year later, there was a little lake filled with ducks and swans, and two eagles were placed in an enclosure. Peacocks are also listed around that time. 1906 brought a big elk. In 1907, Nathan Montgomery donated four or five alligators (there are conflicting news reports) that he had hunted in Florida. A monkey arrived by express on July 9, 1915 and escaped ten days later. He was discovered on the roof of the Comstock Grocery on the corner of Liberty and West Mitchell Street and then chased down to Lake Street, where he ate popcorn from Mr. Leach's popcorn wagon. He was cornered near the opera house on Bay Street, but again managed to escape. The zookeeper, Mr. Stephenson, finally captured him the next day and took him back to the zoo. There are several notices in the paper asking people to keep their boys and dogs out of the deer enclosure.

The zoo was located near the current Winter Sports Park. The caption to this picture says that the large cage to the left was for monkeys and eagles, and the smaller buildings are for rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. 

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From 1913-1925, the zookeeper was Charles W. Stephenson, known as "Steve" by the kids in town. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1859 and moved to Michigan as an adult. In the 1905 city guide he is listed as an umpire. He and his family lived at 824 Bay Street.

The postscript on this postcard above the stamp says, "There are elks, buffalo, deer, wolves, bears, birds, and little animals in this park." The postcard is dated 1916.