tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post9013596864450771777..comments2024-03-28T19:50:52.148-04:00Comments on Hell's Acres: When Forest Park Zoo Animals Attack, Part 3Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-90413688719658642122018-10-17T09:39:28.580-04:002018-10-17T09:39:28.580-04:00Hi Nancy,
Thanks for your comment. I loved that e...Hi Nancy,<br /><br />Thanks for your comment. I loved that elephant!<br /><br />Check it out: Morganetta is immortalized in the novel "Leaving Time" https://www.jodipicoult.com/leaving-time.html<br /><br />The author wrote that Morganetta had only one eye, which wasn't true. She was fictionalizing the elephant's appearance for effect.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-41340947332801054622018-10-15T17:42:06.746-04:002018-10-15T17:42:06.746-04:00I loved Morganetta so much! I would go every Sunda...I loved Morganetta so much! I would go every Sunday to the petting zoo when she first arrived. I would stick my arm through the fence and she would come over and wrap her trunk around my arm. I was sooooo upset when they moved her to that horrible enclosure which was only big enough her her, chained, and for a walkway around her so that people could ogle at her. I cried! <br /><br />Many years later, I heard (from your blog - I now know it is not true) that she had swallowed a padlock and died. My only thought: At least she now has been released from her misery and horrible abuse.<br /><br />Thank you for you info on Morganetta, and that you also cared so much about her.Nancynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-25699725513800695022015-08-18T07:11:06.339-04:002015-08-18T07:11:06.339-04:00Hi Jean,
I have no idea.Hi Jean,<br /><br />I have no idea.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-69639006300026852822015-08-18T07:03:42.180-04:002015-08-18T07:03:42.180-04:00What is the current salary of zookeepers at Forest...What is the current salary of zookeepers at Forest Park Zoo?Jean Woodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-53473848355219746482015-01-13T09:22:24.292-05:002015-01-13T09:22:24.292-05:00Sure do remember Steve Austin. Also Bobby Partridg...Sure do remember Steve Austin. Also Bobby Partridge, Bobby Leary, Gary and David Palmer the Kanes, and does anyone remember John H. Breck (who lived next door to us and who started the Breck Shampoo Co.)Orlando St Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-27715970627658075982014-07-28T14:24:14.867-04:002014-07-28T14:24:14.867-04:00I remember the buffalo heads in the monkey house. ...I remember the buffalo heads in the monkey house. Did you know Steve Austin on Orlando Street?Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-9267089199184318092014-07-28T13:11:17.504-04:002014-07-28T13:11:17.504-04:00I remember climbing the fence to get into the elk ...I remember climbing the fence to get into the elk enclosure (which was, I'm guessing several acres in extent, to scour the small valleys for the discarded deer antlers of which my friends and I found several. We always wanted to garner an elk antler but Now I figure the park employees could easily find those. I came face-to-face with the elk once at his feeding place but through a careful backing around managed to get to the fence and climb over. LOL!I also remember that the deer would lick our hair to get the salt from our sweat. Once when one had escaped, I found it down by the wooden trail around Porter Lake and, though it was unenclosed and free to go it came up and licked my hair once again.<br />I remember all the animals, the huge water buffalo, the elk of course, the polar bear, the aoudad rock sheep, and especially the monkey house. Does anyone remember the two huge buffalo heads mounted over the doorway on the inner side? The smell of that place could peel your eyeballs! We would spend the entire day at the park and just come home at night. Different days for sure.Orlando St. Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-41918105361650448432013-07-05T08:04:10.034-04:002013-07-05T08:04:10.034-04:00Hi John,
What a great experience for you growing ...Hi John,<br /><br />What a great experience for you growing up. Too bad you didn't get to bring Morganetta home lol.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-18431935620209409722013-07-03T23:12:02.407-04:002013-07-03T23:12:02.407-04:00Hello,
I just read your story about Morganetta a...Hello, <br /><br />I just read your story about Morganetta and loved it! I got the chance to ride Morganetta several times as a kid. My mother grew up in Forest Park in the "Carraige House". Her father, my Grandfather, ran the park. Gene Barr lived in the little apartment below my Grandparents. My mother has great stories and fond memories of Everett Barney (the man who built the park) and playing in his huge mansion. My brothers, sisters and I got to due all the "behind the scenes" things within the park and zoo like riding Morganetta, feeding the animals, and playing with them. One of the men that showed us around the lion cage had only one arm as a result of a feeding accident with a Tiger. We even got to bring home with us a baby Donkey/Burrow as a pet. We spent many summers playing in the park and zoo.Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-32192296872354863452013-03-31T01:36:39.729-04:002013-03-31T01:36:39.729-04:00Thanks for these great articles about the original...Thanks for these great articles about the original Forest Park Zoo. I grew-up in the period after the original zoo closed and was replaced by the Kiddyland Zoo. (current zoo was not yet planned.) I never saw the original zoo, but grew-up hearing romantiized stories about howthe zoo had monkies, tigers, bears and deer. But no one could explain to me "why" the zoo closed. Thank to your stories, i now know what this zoo was like and why it was closed.<br /><br />Btw, you can still find the original fencing behind the old kiddies land zoo. (The 8 foot fence intended to keep deer in.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-39004972244375287332012-09-24T13:49:45.937-04:002012-09-24T13:49:45.937-04:00What a great comment.
I had also failed to mentio...What a great comment.<br /><br />I had also failed to mention the shooting of Snowball to my son, but he's almost seven now and he can probably handle it.<br /><br />These zoo animal posts generate a lot of memories among readers--as I thought they would.<br />Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-44289580939253713532012-09-22T16:57:50.898-04:002012-09-22T16:57:50.898-04:00In 1984 I was hired to be a counselor at a girl...In 1984 I was hired to be a counselor at a girl's camp in Maine. When I arrived with all the new recruits, we discovered that the Nature Director had escaped early, and the management was scrambling for a replacement. Given that I had lived since 1979 in Portland, Or., the powers that were decided I must know something about nature, and offered me the post.<br /><br />Scrambling for a activities that would interest a camp full of girls one group after the other, I found a book hidden among the possessions the previous "Mother Nature" had left behind. One suggested activity was "Build a Polar Bear Enclosure." The premise was that a fictional zoo was to receive a new polar bear and needed to design a habitat that would fully meet the needs of the new arrival. The children were to consider the environmental requirements of the polar bear including it's comfort, nutrition, and entertainment. Once they had listed all their requirements, they then had to draw blueprints of new polar bear habitats.<br /><br />With each new group of girls, I started the activity telling them of my early childhood trips to the Forest Park Zoo. I told them of a beautiful polar bear named Snowball who lived in a fenced cage separated by about a 3 feet strip of grass from the sidewalk, and how the public were kept from the grass and approaching the cage by a chain strung from post to post around the enclosure. I shared that as a small child, I vaguely remember thinking I could slip under that chain, cross the grass, and pet the polar bear...if only my mother would let me. I mentioned to these girls that Snowball had been shot in the eye to save a girl who had slipped beyond the chain to pet the bear. Being that this was their summer camp experience, and I only wanted to enlighten not scar them, I kept many of the details on the shooting to a minimum.<br /><br />In short, I used my potentially faulty memory of a poor beleaguered bear. I pandered poor Snowball shamelessly in the hopes of entertaining 150 girls, earning my increased salary as "staff" instead of just a counselor, and surviving the summer as "Mother Nature," a title that still sets my teeth on edge. One hope, now 28 years later, is that some of those girls took my memories of Snowball, no matter how imperfect, and walked away with some increase of knowledge, compassion, or awareness of the impact they have on the world around them.<br /><br />Thank you Snowball, and thank you Hell's Acres for providing respect in memory for a group of animals who received very little respect while they were alive.<br /><br />Springfield ExpatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-13762933653814517242012-08-25T23:44:09.643-04:002012-08-25T23:44:09.643-04:00I love reading the history of Springfield! This wa...I love reading the history of Springfield! This was awesome to read!! If anyone knows any others sites or books, would love to know... Thanks!Love for Springfield, Ma!https://www.blogger.com/profile/12776874874832680419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-42217946456726411792012-04-10T20:27:45.093-04:002012-04-10T20:27:45.093-04:00Hey kosherkop: hellsacres@gmail.com.Hey kosherkop: hellsacres@gmail.com.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-34627039842691695132012-04-10T20:22:59.706-04:002012-04-10T20:22:59.706-04:00i'm new to this blogging stuff...like the hell...i'm new to this blogging stuff...like the hell's acres site...i want to send a classic picture of a forest park zoo pennant with morganetta on it...need an email addresskosherkophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15874216126066361631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-28238899336242902772012-03-12T22:32:00.422-04:002012-03-12T22:32:00.422-04:00Hey Karl,
Thanks. Those old photos touch a chord ...Hey Karl,<br /><br />Thanks. Those old photos touch a chord with a lot of people.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-32688242070938184832012-03-12T13:47:32.639-04:002012-03-12T13:47:32.639-04:00I WILL ASK MY DAD IF HE STILL HAS PIX OF SNOBALL T...I WILL ASK MY DAD IF HE STILL HAS PIX OF SNOBALL TAKEN LONG AGO......KARL MARTIANSPADESHADOWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02275970824567713245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-85713727084811415062012-03-02T10:46:55.539-05:002012-03-02T10:46:55.539-05:00Ah yes, that smell. And the unbearable heat of the...Ah yes, that smell. And the unbearable heat of the reptile house.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-43220585559481944922012-03-02T10:12:24.517-05:002012-03-02T10:12:24.517-05:00That could be the one... Billy L. was the victim,...That could be the one... Billy L. was the victim, I haven't seen him in years, but the last time I did, he had slurred speeech and wasn't quite all there, kind of like a stroke victim. He had brain damage from a vicious beating at Camp Seco, could have been that night....<br /><br /> About our friend Jiggs Jr., I know they had the plastic sheets up over the cages for a long time. I guess the official story was to prevent contamination as you point out, but my story (I think the real one) is that it was because Jigs Jr. was such a nasty pig.... he would throw his scat at you, he'd pee on you, and he had a chronic masturbation habit..... Nasty little bugger. Oh man the smell in that place is coming back to me right now.Calssical '75 X guynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-57981798144259684442012-03-02T10:00:26.493-05:002012-03-02T10:00:26.493-05:00Thanks X Guy,
When I tell non-Springfield people ...Thanks X Guy,<br /><br />When I tell non-Springfield people about Jiggs and Snowball getting shot, the kangaroo getting hit by lightning, and kids feeding the monkeys candy, etc. they look at me as if I'm making this stuff up.<br /><br />By the way, I think I found a short story in the newspaper archives about the South End gang starting a fight at Camp Seco--the one you mentioned. On July 2, 1976 there was a reported brawl in the area and an ambulance responded.<br /><br />By the time I was going to keggers at Camp Seco from '79 to '81 (I had a lot of Forest Park friends) these gatherings were peaceful, which is remarkable because at times they attracted between 50 and 100 kids.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-39053681064048104392012-03-02T09:07:48.201-05:002012-03-02T09:07:48.201-05:00I look forward to your posts; they always bring ba...I look forward to your posts; they always bring back some fond memory for me. I grew up in the park and know all the characters you mention, including Baldy Lee….<br /><br /> When I say ‘in the park’ I mean IN the park. I would be in there from morning to night, most of the time going home covered in mud and muck with a frog or pollywog in my pocket. I did that from the time I was around 10 through my late teens and then again as a young adult with my own kids… remind me to tell you about the steaking incident one summer night in ‘74, when 4 of us got busted, one ran home to Woodside Terrace naked and two others (me included) were smart enough to carry their clothes with them and got away. Haven’t really gone in there much lately though.<br /><br />I remember that EVERYONE loved Morganetta though. And I remember her walking around in circles, tied to her very short chain all day long. We all felt sad for her. I’d go mad too I think….<br /><br />A lot of folks believe that Morganetta was the inspiration for Dr. Seuss’ “ Horton Hears a Who.” It’s not true though. Morganetta was born in ‘64(ish). HORTON HEARS A WHO was published in ’54, and that wasn’t even the first time that Horton appeared. HORTON HATCHES THE EGG was published in 1940, long before Morganetta was even a glisten in her father’s eye…<br /><br />As far as your friend’s white rabbit goes – I’ve got some bad news…… My buddy worked at the zoo and part of his job was to tend to the rabbits. There was this old Italian guy from Trafton RD. that would come in to see my friend with bottles of his homemade wine which he would trade for live rabbits. As we all know, rabbits are very prolific and this equaled a very regular supply of very potent wine. I can only guess what the guy did with the rabbits, but the wine was delicious…… I’m not saying your buddy’s rabbit ended up in the stew pot but there is a decent likelihood that it did!!!Classical '75 X Guynoreply@blogger.com