Flashback Photos: Zoo Atlanta, the early days

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Flashback Photos: Zoo Atlanta, the early days

Our city's zoo existed long before it was called Zoo Atlanta. Before the name change in 1985, it was known as Grant Park Zoo.

Grant Park Zoo employee reaching out to calm "Jimmy Walker" the zoo's first tiger, through the bars, Atlanta, Georgia, May 1937. Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

Bengal tiger at the Grant Park Zoo. (File) 1947

A family watches the elephants at the zoo in 1946. Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

A hyena being petted through the bars at the Grant Park Zoo, Atlanta, Georgia, May 1937. Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

A leopard nuzzling against the cage bars, while a Grant Park Zoo employee waves his straw hat nearby, Grant Park Zoo, Atlanta, Georgia, May 1937. Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

A leopard reaching out for a zoo employee's straw hat, Grant Park Zoo, Atlanta, Georgia, May 1937. Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

Gorilla Willie B. at Zoo Atlanta, November 28, 1978. George A. Clark/AJC

Children's Zoo at Grant Park awaits youthful visitors as opening ceremonies are planned Saturday; Mill (right) can grind corn. Addition of Zoo for kiddies brings Atlanta one step closer to having one of the finest zoo complexes in the nation, according to mayor Ivan Allen, who formally will open Zoo. (Ken Patterson/AJC staff) 1964

Here's a bird's-eye view of the Zoo with Atlanta's skyline seeming to come right out of the trees. Zoo in the foreground situated among lots of trees and in the trees, lots of birds and squirrels who feed at the zoo. (Joe McTyre/AJC staff)

Gorilla Willie B. eating celery on his 34th birthday, Zoo Atlanta, July 18, 1992. Photo: Kimberly Smith/AJC

Gorilla Willie B. eating celery on his 34th birthday, Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, July 18, 1992. Photo: Kimberly Smith/AJC

Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

You can see the ducks swim in the lake at the Grant Park Zoo in 1980. (File)

Old Mill Pond at Children's Zoo at Grant Park. (Ken Patterson/AJC staff) 1964

Warm, sunny weather brought people to the Grant Park Zoo where children fed the elephants. (Bill Young/AJC staff) 1963

Ducks, ducks, ducks everywhere. Mrs. Roy Petree gives Grant Park's remaining Swiss Swan a choice tidbit. (Ryan Sanders/AJC staff) 1957

At Grant Park Zoo, Greely the camel comes out of his enclosure only at the insistence of his keepers. (File) 1940s

Grizzly bear scaling a wall at the Grant Park Zoo, Atlanta, Georgia, May 1937. Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

Llama looking into the camera through a fence, Grant Park Zoo, Atlanta, Georgia, May 1937. Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

Orangutans at Zoo Atlanta are learning computer games Tuesday, July 3, 2007. (ELISSA EUBANKS/STAFF)

Sukari, an eight-year-old female western lowland gorilla and daughter of the late Willie B., gave birth on Thursday July 6, 2006, at Zoo Atlanta. This is the fifth baby gorilla born at the zoo within the past 10 months. Sukari is shown with her new baby at the zoo on Friday July 7, 2006. (FRANK NIEMEIR/AJC staff)

Dumadi, the 9 month old infant male orangutan who arrived at Zoo Atlanta June 20, 2007, made his way outside for the first time before the public. After being successfully introduced to his natural habitat the Thursday public debut was enjoyed along with his surrogate mother, Madu. Dumadi was orphaned at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo and was matched with a surrogate mother here at Zoo Atlanta. (JOHN SPINK / AJC staff)

Jack Black meets Dr. Hayley Murphy before the naming ceremony of Zoo Atlanta's baby panda in 2011. The panda was named Po in honor of the upcoming film, Kung Fu Panda 2 by Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks Animation. (Photo by Pouya Dianat/Paramount)

Panda Mei Lan at Zoo Atlanta Friday August 3, 2007. (Brant Sanderlin/ AJC Staff)

Zoo Atlanta's Taz, the gorilla, with his son Kali in 2007. Credit: Zoo Atlanta.

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Grant Park Zoo employee reaching out to calm "Jimmy Walker" the zoo's first tiger, through the bars, Atlanta, Georgia, May 1937. Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers, Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

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