Miller Park Zoo

Miller Park Zoo is a zoo located in Miller Park; a public park in Bloomington, Illinois, USA. It is administered by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Bloomington. The first city money was spent for the care of animals in Miller Park in 1891. Although there was at least one deer, there is no definite list of the animals that the first payment supported. The zoo was started when a circus lion cub ended up on a farmer's farm around 1900, and was eventually given to the city of Bloomington. The lion, later named "Big Jim" died on March 26, 1912. After Big Jim's death, funds were raised to construct the Koetthoefer Animal Building by Bloomington architect A. L. Pillsbury. Ground was broken in 1913, and the building was...