Flashback Thursday: Nearly a century ago this week, Harrisburg Telegraph carried a story about the new “triplets” — baby lions — that could be seen in Harrisburg Zoological Park. Did you even know that Harrisburg had a zoo? From 1929 to 1945, Harrisburg’s dailies regularly reported updates about the various animals–lions, bears, snakes, bison, monkeys, and deer, among others–that were residents of the zoo. The park, which closed during World War II, was located in what is today’s Reservoir Park.
Kylie Smith, senior public history major at Messiah University, has just published an article at Harrisburg Historical titled “Harrisburg’s Zoo: A History of the Wildwood Zoological Park.”
Here’s the opening of Kylie’s article:
In the early twentieth century, greater amounts of leisure time encouraged Americans to pursue new recreational activities. One such activity was visiting zoos. Many cities prided themselves on having impressive animal collections for the public to view. Harrisburg was no different, and in the late 1920s plans for a zoo were underway in an unlikely location—a swamp.
Before the new zoo, the area formerly known as Wetzel’s Swamp was home to Harrisburg’s Wildwood Park. This was a recreational space where residents could host picnics, attend camps, and enjoy boating. Service clubs first proposed the zoo at a joint meeting. There, community leaders wondered whether Harrisburg residents, especially the children, would patronize a zoo. This concern proved unfounded almost immediately. Children eagerly donated their pocket money to the establishment of the zoo, being awarded with “Junior Founder’s Certificates.”
Read the rest of the article at the Harrisburg Historical website and app: “Harrisburg’s Zoo: A History of the Wildwood Zoological Park.”
Digital Harrisburg 
Excellent article, and as a kid growing up in Harrisburg remember seeing some of cages and buildings. FYI, the area where HACC area of student center and surrounding classrooms is the geographical area of the zoo. This was in the later 40’s and as Wildwood Park. The area behind HACC / Industrial Rd was an area where Homeless people camped and were described as Hobos. A flashing memory on my way to fish in the ponds in the park.
E Henry