Detroit Zoo (Royal Oak, MI)

  Located 2 miles north of the Detroit city limits at the intersection of Woodward lies one of Michigan's major attractions.  This family oriented place is home to over 6,800 animals and 270 species.  This place is no other than the Detroit Zoo.
    
   A circus came to town to make their rounds and to put a smile on peoples faces watching the animals perform.  When the circus came to the end of their finances, they didnt have enough money to take care of the animals, and the people of Detroit didnt want to see the animals starve so they put their money together, bought the animals and opened the Detroit Zoological Garden in 1883 that was located on Michigan and Trumbull. In the early 1900's the animals were moved to Belle Isle Park where they can have more wildlife for the animals and to build a better facility. You and your family could just walk through Belle Isle and a deer can just walk up right beside you.  
  
   During World War I the Detroit Zoological Society thought the Belle Zoo was a good idea but they thought it would be a better idea to get a bigger facility and more exotic animals, they wanted to make a more realistic wild life adventures for families.  So in 1928, they purchase 100-acres of land on Woodward and build the new and improved Detroit Zoological Park.  Many plans and new exhibits were designed from a big bird houses full of birds from all over the world to a large lion and tiger den.  Summer of 1928 the park was finally going to open but the owners were very nervous about their outcome of their grand opening. The same day they had some serious competition the first movie was showing at the Fox Theater, the tigers were playing and gas was up to the all time high of 26 cent a gallon.  They thought all their hardship was just going to be a waste but they were wrong.  On opening day their were over 150,000 people that came to the zoo that day.  You see all the smiling faces of families looking at the different types of animals; bears, deer, elephants, etc.  The Detroit Zoo was the major attraction in the 1920's, it was designed for all ages to enjoy their selves and just to have fun.
  
   Today the Detroit Zoo is doing great they have different shows, an underwater exhibit, a train ride that goes around the park and more exotic animals.  The Detroit Zoo is great place to go to just get out of the house and act like a kid again.