The Old Zoo; Photographic Study no.005 - December 2009

Opened in 1912 with 15 animals, most of the enclosures that still exist today were built in the 1930s by Works Progress Administration and County Relief Workers the Zoo was made in the iron bars/pacing animal style that was standard for zoo's of that era, marred with controversy from being Inadequately funded and maintained by the city, the zoo struggled for years with bad press and animal escapes. The Zoo was abandoned in 1966 when the current Los Angeles Zoo was built.

Set in a quiet corner of Griffith Park the Old Zoo is now a picnic area which is rather surreal but seems very appropriate in Los Angeles. Every time I visit the Old Zoo Picnic Area The mysterious tone of the place never seems to fade, and with every visit i seem to find new details or structures that i had missed previously.

- j.frede 2009