Griffith Park Carousel. Image copyright 2016 by Anna Boudinot
“Sometimes humans just don't know best,”
KCET sullenly intoned in a 2015 article about the Griffith Park Zoo. Not to be confused with today's Los Angeles Zoo, the Griffith Park Zoo was in existence from 1912-1966. It was constructed, in part, due to a demand for a new facility for animals left over from circuses, and once the film industry took off in Los Angeles, there was no shortage of exotic animals in the city who needed homes. Some of them had appeared in films, others had been pets of wealthy people. Despite its famous residents, the Griffith Park Zoo never seemed to have a heyday. The Health Department nearly shut it down in 1916 for letting its waste drain into the Los Angeles River. Animals there did not tend to thrive, and the facilities so badly needed an upgrade that the WPA renovated it in 1933. Though the 1930s saw a boost in visitors due to the fact that Depression-era Angelenos sought free attractions to take their minds off their difficult lives, the zoo remained an “inadequate, ugly, poorly designed and under-financed collection of beat-up cages." Ultimately the citizens of Los Angeles voted on a $8 million bond issue to create a better facility, and the animals were moved to a bigger, better, facility about 2 miles away: the current Los Angeles Zoo.
Despite the good that many zoos are doing today – such as boosting populations of endangered species and reintroducing animals to the wild – it always disturbs me a little bit to see animals taken out of their original habitats and put on view for humans to stare at. Part of the Griffith Park Zoo remains intact, and when you stand in front of the empty cages and grottoes you feel like you're in a cemetery. I know I'm not painting a lovely picture here, but if the old zoo piques your interest, I encourage you to pay a visit. Type “old LA zoo picnic area” into Google Maps and you'll see it's fairly easy to find.
Bee Rock, Griffith Park. Image copyright 2016, Anna Boudinot
The Griffith Park Carousel is another artifact from days gone by, though I promise it's far less depressing than the vacant cages of the Griffith Park Zoo. For only $2 you can ride on a wooden horse that Walt Disney's children may have once ridden upon: Disney allegedly conceived the idea for Disneyland while watching his kids ride the carousel. The hand-carved horses are beautiful in their intricacy, and even more impressive is the Stinson 165 Military Band Organ that plays over 1,500 songs. They really don't make stuff like this any more. The merry-go-round was built in 1926 and though parts of it are worse for wear, there's just something cool about being able to take part in an amusement that's been delighting park-goers for almost 100 years. It's open seven days a week during the summer and on weekends only during other times of the year.
After you soak in the solemnity and glee of the old zoo and the merry-go-round, respectively, I encourage you to embark on one of the many hikes to be found on the east side of Griffith Park. Amir's Garden is a favorite destination of mine, and Bee Rock is a fun excursion for those who want a more strenuous hike. In about two hours (round-trip), you can ascend to one of the highest peaks of Griffith Park and gaze over the lush, green, rolling hills of the golf course(s), the tall buildings of downtown Glendale, and the magnificent San Gabriel Mountains beyond. It's a visual reminder that sometimes humans get it right, and sometimes we just can't compete with nature's majesty.