by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: October 04, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

John Ball was born in New Hampshire in 1794. This eclectic and generous philanthropist was a teacher, an explorer, a Realtor, an adventurer, a lawyer and a legislator. When he died in 1884, he left 40 acres of land that he specified was to be used as a park to the city of Grand Rapids Michigan. The city fathers failed to understand the value of the gift when it was originally given.

BACKGROUND OF THE JOHN BALL PARK -

By the 1890's, the land which was dubbed as the Ball 40 had come to be known as the "Central Park" of Grand Rapids. The first mention of the presence of any animals in the park came from city commission records of 1891. After a considerable amount of debating over whether or not city funds should be used to purchase additional animals to supplement the existing collection of animals who were being housed at the Ball 40, it was decided that city funds should not be used for that purpose. Some of the city fathers decided to contribute money from their own pockets, and that money was used to purchase a few animals for the place that would later become the zoo.

THE ZOO'S BEGINNING -

The official name for the area that had been referred to as the Ball 40 became John Ball Park. The city purchased an additional 100 acres surrounding the park. The 140 acre area became the zoo.

In 1905, the budget for John Ball Park (as it was known then,) was $5,000. To show how important a part of the city it had become, the next highest budget for the city was $80. The 140 acre park featured the zoo, a conservatory, formal gardens, a swimming pool, carriage trails and a dance parlor and bandstand.

THE IMPACT OF THE DEPRESSION -

The zoo fell on hard times during the depression. Things got so bad that most of the zoo's collection of animals was given to other zoos. Some aging animals as well as buffalo and deer remained at the zoo, but the buffalo and deer had to be slaughtered and butchered to feed the poor.

COMING OUT OF THE DEPRESSION TO CREATE A ZOO -

In 1949, a Grand Rapids resident and zoo lover by the name of Katherine Winery decided to form a zoo society in the hope of ressurecting the zoo. After meeting with the mayor, it was decided that every service club in Grand Rapids would be sent an invitation with a request that they dispatch one member of the club to attend a meeting to discuss the rebuilding of the zoo.

THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE ZOO -

It was decided that the city would hire a director, and the city would be responsible for rebuilding

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