Riverside Park –

In the winter of 1914-1915 a road was constructed through Riverside Park and the Zoo was started. The first animals in the zoo were 12 fox squirrels and 12 gray squirrels. In A915 more animals were added. These new animals consisted of rabbits, raccoons, pheasants and guinea pigs. In 1916 a black bear, three bear cubs and several elk were added to the zoo. With the arrival of the bear, a bear den was constructed in 1919. The Bear Castle, as it was called, look like the ruins of a medieval castle. More land was purchased for and next to Riverside Park which contained a road named Elbow Road which connected to the road within Riverside Park. By this time a combination baseball-football field had been constructed in Riverside as well as tennis courts. Between 1921 to 1924 a concrete swimming pool was built, a bath house by the pool built and a foot bridge (into Eastwood Park) was constructed. On Sept 11, 1924, Riverside Park was renamed Theodore Roosevelt Park and the bronze statue was dedicated

 Original Bear Castle

 Zoo Building

 Riverside Park Swimming Pool

Flower Gardens