Since Ike was president and Elvis was king, the Oregon Zoo has been in the same home.
The Zoo has been inspiring a better future for wildlife from its current home for 50 years (and connecting people with animals for 122 years)!
In 1959, the Portland Zoological Gardens helped the state celebrate its centennial by opening at its current location with a brand-new railway and lots of colorful "modern" design accents. At that time, the zoo was at the very edge of town, with mostly wilderness beyond it. On November 1, 1959, the main approaches to the zoo from Canyon Road had just been paved. Thousands of school children came as part of their curriculum. Zoo admission was 35 cents.
The Zoo Railway was built in 1958 with the Zooliner, our first train and still the primary train used today. A diesel-powered streamliner is a replica of General Motors' "Aerotrain," the Zooliner includes safety features such as a "dead man control" to ease the train to a halt in an emergency. A governor still holds the train to a 12-mile-per-hour maximum.
The "Oregon" Steam Locomotive was built in 1959 for the Oregon Centennial. An authentic steam engine created in the style of the 1800s, runs at the zoo exclusively. An oil-burning American 4-4-0 type with a diamond stack and brass bell, the locomotive is painted in bright colors with polished brass trimmings. A big headlight features hand-painted pictures of Crater Lake and Mt. Hood.
