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The Authority set up a permanent office in Raleigh and hired a consultant to act as administrative head of the project.
In public hearings in Raleigh, six groups -- Albemarle, Asheboro, Butner, Concord, Chatham County, and Statesville -- presented the merits of their communities before the nine-member Site Selection Committee and three professional zoo consultants, Jim Fowler (Wildlife Concepts, Chicago), Dr. Theodore H. Reed (National Zoo, Washington, D. C.) and George Speidel (Milwaukee Zoo).
All proposed sites were toured and inspected by the Site Selection Committee, the three zoo consultants, and by state and federal specialists in the fields of property control, soils, veterinary medicine, roads, groundwater, disease vectors, etc. An in-depth economic study prepared for the Authority by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) was released for publication. The report conservatively estimated that the Zoo would generate $64 million in new incomes and revenues during its first seven years of operation. The RTI study also pointed out that $6 million would be needed to finance basic planning, design and Phase I construction of the State Zoo.
At the quarterly meeting of the Authority Board of Directors in Raleigh, the Site Selection Committee recommended that the Zoo be located in Asheboro with Concord named as alternate. The Authority Board voted its approval.
The North Carolina Zoological Society, Inc. held its first meeting. Norwood W. "Red" Pope of Raleigh was elected president, and a 14-member board was elected. An office was established in Asheboro, staffed by Mrs. Ann Cagle, executive secretary.
The N. C. Legislature convened. The Authority had planned to request a $2 million appropriation from the General Assembly, but decided against it after learning that legislative funds were tight. The Authority decided to go the bond route instead. The Legislature passed a bill authorizing the Authority to hold a State-wide bond referendum for the sale of $2 million in general obligation bonds, feeling that that voter participation would help the Zoo when the time came to raise funds from private sources.
An administrative consultant was hired as full-time executive manager and development director of the Zoo Authority. (Resigned May 1973)
At a joint meeting of the Authority and the Society, the Randolph County Society for Zoological Development gave 1,371 acres of land to the North Carolina Zoo Society, Inc. The Zoo Society then turned 1,005 acres of the land over to the N. C. Zoological Authority which accepted for the State legislative committees and one commission, and the Zoo's annual operations request of $307,611 (originally a biennial request of $664,315) was cut to approximately $91,000.
William Hoff of the St. Louis Zoo was hired as the first director of N.C. Zoo. Hoff developed the master plan for the Zoo and oversaw all design and planning activities.
The North Carolina Zoo Society, Inc. officially kicked off its statewide membership campaign. Membership categories range from $1 annually for elementary school students to $1,000 for a lifetime membership. (The Zoo Society plans to launch its capital fund raising drive in January 1974.)
The first animals arrived at the Zoo! Two female Galapagos tortoises were purchased by the N. C. Zoo Society for $5,000 and given to N.C. Zoo. The animals were placed in specially designed quarters on the zoo site. Lt. Governor James Hunt and family were on hand to greet the new arrivals.
October was proclaimed Zoo Month by Governor James Holshouser. The Zoo Society organized its first annual county-level membership campaign in eleven Tar Heel counties.
The North Carolina Zoological Authority approved the master plan concept prepared by J. Hyatt Hammond and Associates. The plan reflected the total anticipated development of the entire Zoo over the next 20-30 years.
The North Carolina Zoological Authority voted to accept the plans for the permanent maintenance and operations complex as presented by the architects. Known as the Interim Zoo at first, this section was used temporarily as a holding area for animals until natural habitat environments were built.
The Interim Zoo was officially dedicated with Lt. Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr. leading the ceremonies. The dedication marked the opening of the first animal exhibits at the N. C. Zoo.
Paid admission at the Interim Zoo began. Admission was $1 for adults and 25 cents for children 2-15. School groups were admitted free.
The Otter Grotto, located in the Animal Building, a small-scale forerunner for future natural habitat exhibits, was completed.
An estimated 488,616 visitors were recorded for the first year of Zoo attendance starting in September 1974.
The birth of a female spot-necked otter at the Zoo was the first of the species to be born outside its native Africa and survive.
The Interim Zoo was expanded from 30 to 40 acres and four new outdoor paddocks were added. The animal collection included more than 155 mammals, reptiles, and birds of 55 different species.
The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation of Winston-Salem awarded a grant of $1 million to the Zoological Society to be used for permanent construction.
Blanket free admission to the Zoo was granted to members of the North Carolina Zoological Society, Inc. upon presentation of membership cards at the ticket booth.
The first Zoo Telethon held anywhere in the country was sponsored by the N. C. Zoo Society, Inc. Pledges for the statewide event totaled $350,000. The funds were earmarked for the purchase of animals on deposit at the Zoo, new animals for the African region, and a contact area.
Bids were received for part one of Phase I construction. Total bid cost for construction was $1,876,132. Part one included the Zebra/Ostrich/Giraffe (ZOG) exhibit, Lion Exhibit, two lakes, picnic shelter, entrance control facility, amphitheater, fast food restaurant, public restrooms, parking lots, utilities, service roads, and pedestrian pathways.
Governor James E. Holshouser, Jr. officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony signaling initial natural habitat construction in the designated African region. In attendance were state legislators, local government officials, members of the press, and Zoo personnel. Contracts totaling $2 million were approved and awarded by the State early in the month.
R. J. Reynolds Industries, Inc. contributed $600,000 toward construction of the aviary.
Official opening was held for the one-acre children's contact area in the Interim Zoo.
The Zoo recorded attendance of 296,123 visitors for calendar year 1976.
The volunteer tour guide program was reorganized to form the N. C. Zoo Docent Council.
Legislative Day was held at the Zoo sponsored by the Asheboro Chamber of Commerce and Randolph County legislators.
The N. C. General Assembly appropriated $2.9 million for capital improvements, the largest single appropriation in the Zoo's history.
Dedication was held for the Siberian tiger interim natural habitat. The tiger was purchased with funds raised by students of the N. C. Chapter of the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), the first group in the state to donate funds for a Zoo animal.
Begun in 1973, the project ended two years later when DECA gave $8,000 to the Zoo; the money was raised from the collection and redemption of trading stamps.
The Department of Natural and Economic Resources, by act of the General Assembly, became the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development.
Project ZOO (Zoo Opportunities Outreach), a Randolph County School proposal to produce instructional materials about the Zoo for use in schools across the state, was launched. Federally funded, it was the first educational program of its kind in the nation to be conducted on a statewide basis.
The Zoo won the outstanding exhibit award at the N. C. State Fair. The natural habitat design concept was presented pictorially via a motorized exhibit.
Volunteer and paid firemen of North Carolina donated a brush-fire type fire truck to the Zoo on the grounds of the Capitol with Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. accepting on behalf of the Zoo. Contributions amounting to $6,000 from firemen across the state were used to re-equip and refit a fire truck obtained from a Raleigh fire station.
Bids were accepted to finish exhibit interiors in part one of Phase I construction and to develop a graphics program, landscaping and a non-potable water system for the Zoo. The bid cost for construction was $514,145.
The Zoo recorded attendance of 310,252 visitors for calendar year 1977.
Zoo Director William Hoff resigned to seek employment elsewhere.
The Zoo was awarded a BOR grant of $330,000 to construct a new road to the permanent Zoo site, a picnic area and part of the tram roadway.
A "Going on Loan" party was held for Ramar, the Zoo's male lowland gorilla, who was being sent on breeding loan to the Philadelphia Zoo.
A second Zoo Telethon, sponsored by the N. C. Zoo Society, raised $232,000 in pledges to purchase animals for the African exhibit region.
Les Schobert from Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, was hired as General Curator to replace Joe Davis, who resigned to take employment elsewhere.
The N. C. General Assembly appropriated $1.6 million in capital improvement funds to continue construction in the African region.
A welcoming party was held for the Zoo's first elephant. C'Sar, a young African male, was purchased with $12,000 contributed by Contractors Service and Rentals of Charlotte.
Robert L. Fry, a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Marine Corps and head of recreational programs at Camp Lejeune, N. C., was named Zoo Director.
The Zoo was awarded a $25,000 grant from the Institute of Museum Services to develop model Zoo education programs for grades K-12.
Bids of $88,890 were accepted for artificial rockwork in the Zebra/Ostrich/Giraffe Exhibit.
Bids of $2,064,568 were accepted for construction of Elephant, Rhinoceros, Chimpanzee, and Baboon Exhibits and public service facilities in African region.
The Zoo recorded attendance of 318,847 for calendar year 1978.
Bids of $341,294 were accepted for artificial rockwork in the Lion Habitat.
Joe Sonderman/Design of Charlotte was approved as the graphics firm to develop the graphics and signing system.
Four young female elephants from Africa arrived to join male elephant C'Sar.
The Zoo's lion cubs met Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., on the Capitol grounds in Raleigh. The Governor announced a "Name the Lion Cubs" contest for the children of North Carolina.
A Land and Water Conservation Fund grant of $521,471 was received for paving of the parking lot, walkways, tramway and picnic area.
Winners of the lion cubs contest were treated to a weekend at the Zoo and a sneak preview of Africa. The names "Leo" and "Cleo" were selected by the Asheboro Lions Club.
The African Region opened to the public with one animal habitat (Zebra/Ostrich/Giraffe) and public service facilities. Admission fee increased.
O'Brien/Atkins Associates of Chapel Hill was selected as the architectural firm to design the walk-through aviary. The project was funded at $1.5 million.
"Jaycees Kangaroo Day" was held at the Zoo to recognize the gift of two female kangaroos from the Raleigh and Fremantle, Australia, Jaycees.
Hayes/Howell and Associates of Southern Pines was selected as the architectural firm to design the Controlled Environment Structure and J. Hyatt Hammond and Associates of Asheboro- Greensboro was selected to design the Tramway/African Plains/Greenhouse. The CES was funded at $4.5 million, the tramway at $1 million, the African Plains at $1 million and the Greenhouse at $200,000.
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N.C. Zoo is a member institution of AZA and an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr. Secretary; Michael F. Easley, Governor. A part of the North Carolina Government portal.
The Zoo is closed Christmas day and during severe weather. Call our information line at: 1-800-488-0444.
