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New York Zoological Park. Office of Director and General Curator. William T. Hornaday scrapbooks

 Fonds
Identifier: 1033

Scope and Content

This collection is composed of scrapbooks created by New York Zoological Park (Bronx Zoo) Director William T. Hornaday between approximately 1896 and 1927 and concerning zoos and the Bronx Zoo in particular. Six of the scrapbooks focus on European zoos and include material that may have been collected by Hornaday in 1896 when the New York Zoological Society sent him to Europe to collect ideas for the new Bronx Zoo (a fifth zoo scrapbook covers Taronga Park). Topics covered by other scrapbooks in the collection include zoological subjects, the history of the New York Zoological Society, decreasing bird populations, and Hornaday's ongoing war on trash in the Bronx Zoo.

Dates

  • Majority of material found within circa 1896-1927

Creator

Access Restrictions

Please contact the WCS Archives regarding possible access restrictions.

Usage Restrictions

Please contact the WCS Archives regarding possible usage restrictions.

Biographical Note

On June 27, 1896, William T. Hornaday, who had recently been hired to serve as Director of the New York Zoological Park, traveled to zoological gardens in Europe at the behest of the New York Zoological Society Executive Committee. Accompanied by his wife, Josephine, he was sent to acquaint himself with "methods of management, relation to public authorities, means of support, details and plans of buildings and of all equipment connected with the animals, special methods of caging and exhibition, general arrangement of the parks with reference both to exhibition and pleasure grounds, photographs, plans, maps, architects’ details, etc." Armed with a $500 travel budget, the Hornadays visited fifteen zoological gardens in England, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and France. Hornaday was very impressed with the popularity of European zoos, and when he returned, he brought encouraging words, advice, and ideas to the NYZS Executive Committee, who were trying to raise money and social support for the Society.

Throughout his career, Hornaday documented his work and interests in scrapbooks. In addition to the albums documenting other zoos, he collected materials related to the Bronx Zoo, as well as his wildlife conservation campaigns, in scrapbooks.

Extent

5.46 Cubic Feet (14 scrapbooks in 12 flat boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection is composed of scrapbooks created by New York Zoological Park (Bronx Zoo) Director William T. Hornaday between approximately 1896 and 1927 and concerning zoos and the Bronx Zoo in particular. Six of the scrapbooks focus on European zoos and include material that may have been collected by Hornaday in 1896 when the New York Zoological Society sent him to Europe to collect ideas for the new Bronx Zoo (a fifth zoo scrapbook covers Taronga Park). Topics covered by other scrapbooks in the collection include zoological subjects, the history of the New York Zoological Society, decreasing bird populations, and Hornaday's ongoing war on trash in the Bronx Zoo.

Arrangement

This collection has been arranged in four series:

Series 1
Zoological gardens illustrated, circa 1896
Series 2
Zoological subjects
Series 3
History of New York Zoological Society and New York Zoological Park, 1896-1916
Series 4
Additional subjects, 1897-1927

Acquisition Information

Internal transfer.

Title
Guide to the Scrapbooks of the New York Zoological Park Director William T. Hornaday, circa 1896-1927
Status
Published
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Wildlife Conservation Society Archives Repository

Contact:
WCS Library/Archives
2300 Southern Blvd
Bronx New York 10460 United States