Oregon Zoo
Top 10 in Top 10 Oldest Zoos In The United States
The next position on the list of the oldest zoos in the United States is the Oregon Zoo which is a zoo that was formerly known as the Portland Zoo and then as the Washington Park Zoo. It is situated in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon, about 3.2 kilometers southwest of the city center. It is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi River and was founded in 1888.
The Oregon Zoo is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi in the United States. The zoo got its start in 1882 when English immigrant Richard Knight opened a storefront close to the Willamette River docks. For whatever reason, Knight took in the pets that sailors had picked up along the way, and before long the pharmacy was home to parakeets, monkeys, and other tiny animals.
With more than 1.6 million visitors in 2016, the Oregon Zoo is the state's largest paid attraction and conceivably its most well-liked tourist destination. Both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums recognize the zoo as a member.
Year Opened: 1888
Location: Portland, Oregon
