Meredith Zoo

[newbie]

I was hoping to get some help, I am doing a little research.

Does anyone have any information on the Meredith Zoo? I believe it was in business in the 1930s, I think it was located on Meredith Neck.

Am I on the right track? Any info will help.

Thanks


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[joey2665]

I believe Fun Spot owners had the Indian village which had a small zoo but not sure where it was I think it was in Meredith or the year


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[fatlazyless]

Maybe it was Roberts' Pinnacle Park Zoo, during the 1920's and 1930's, which had a lion, and an old 1800's Concord passenger stagecoach, and the zoo was destroyed by the big hurricane in early to mid September, 1938 ....and the coach survived and is probably still intact ..... maybe in Sandwich, unless it got sold for the big money to the Wells Fargo bank in California, as will happen?

Is this the same https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/corporate/stagecoach/ (click on The Concord Coach) that was at the Roberts' Pinnacle Park Zoo back in the day?

Got this info from a twelve year old LaDaSun article ....... anybody seen that big golden lion out on the ice yesterday ....... chas'n down some deer out by Camp Menotomy ...... apparently is very fast on the ice ...... no slippn and slid'n ..... some good claw traction action ..... this 85-year old, geriatric lion is very large and is loose!

Is about time all the danged deer met up with a predator ..... cause all the deer territory has been posted 'no hunting.' Thank you Mr Golden Lion ....... Goldy ...... for short!

[RumGuy]

So now we start the legend that the lion got loose, and has been seen prowling the Meredith area ever since.....A good campfire story for the kids- even if it would be 81 years old and toothless.

[Barney Bear]

We saw it on Bear Island last summer. 🦁

[garysanfran]

It was an albino! Blends in well with the snow...

[WeirsBeachBoater]

Yes there was a "zoo" on Meredith neck, I'd suggest a visit to the Meredith Historical Society. I bet they have some info on it!

[wobbelbill]

If you can catch video of Fritz Weatherbee's presentation at Meredith Historical Society presentation last Nov or Dec on Public Access cable, he mentions it and has a brief back and forth with a woman in the audience about it. On Meredith Neck somewhere if I remember them saying.

[lagoon]

I remember it as being on the left hand side of the road as you left Weirs Beach right before Meredith. It was a wood stockade structure, never was taken by my parents but I sure wanted too.

[hoopdawg]

Across from fun spot !!!! Indian Trading Post was opened. The Indian Village opened in 1971 and featured authentic dwellings of tribes across the country. Painted teepees, cattail wigwams, birch bark wigwams and a whaling shrine were just a few of sites within the Village. Chief Red Dawn, a noted Santee Sioux Indian lorist and teacher of Indian culture performed daily in the Village. Indian Village and Trading Post remained in operation until 1983.

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by hoopdawg

Across from fun spot !!!! Indian Trading Post was opened. The Indian Village opened in 1971 and featured authentic dwellings of tribes across the country. Painted teepees, cattail wigwams, birch bark wigwams and a whaling shrine were just a few of sites within the Village. Chief Red Dawn, a noted Santee Sioux Indian lorist and teacher of Indian culture performed daily in the Village. Indian Village and Trading Post remained in operation until 1983.

Thank you for the information. I have seen photos inside Fun Spot but did not know what years it was open. Clearly not the information the poster was looking for sorry.


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[hoopdawg]

I took the liberty to contact the Meredith Historical Society and this is what I
received

There was a zoo, Pinnacle Park Zoo. There will be a program about the zoo on August 6 as part of the Historical Society Program Series for 2019.

[Top-Water]

Originally Posted by hoopdawg

I took the liberty to contact the Meredith Historical Society and this is what I
received

There was a zoo, Pinnacle Park Zoo. There will be a program about the zoo on August 6 as part of the Historical Society Program Series for 2019.

Thank you for this information, a somewhat obscure lakes region attraction. From what little I could find out about the place, it closed in 1939 {one year after} the great hurricane of "38". There is some information in the book Meredith Chronicles - Passing Time on Lake Winnipesaukee. From what I read it was called "Roberts Pinnacle Park Zoo" after Charles Roberts. Opened and closed long before my time.

With regard to escaped animals, one of the monkeys escaped and from what little there was to read about it they had a tough time recapturing it.

Thanks again for posting that info.

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by Top-Water

From what I read it was called "Roberts Pinnacle Park Zoo" after Charles Roberts.

Just to be grammatically correct here, shouldn't Roberts' have an apostrophe ...... yes, it must have an apostrophe here to be correct! ...

Am surprised that famous forum historian, McDude, has yet to post a dramatic photo showing that large lion, barely alive, living in filth or something, down at Roberts' Pinnacle Park Zoo?

[mcdude]

I do have several postcards of the Indian Village on Photopost.....regretfully the Photopost Gallery has been down for a while now....but I found this

Funspot's Indian Trading Post opened in 1967 with the Indian Village opening in 1971. Both closed in 1983.

[mcdude]

From a book called the Meredith Chronicles - Passing Time on Lake Winnipesaukee


https://books.google.com/books?id=4O...Zoo%22&f=false

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by mcdude

From a book called the Meredith Chronicles - Passing Time on Lake Winnipesaukee


https://books.google.com/books?id=4O...Zoo%22&f=false

As always, thank you McDude!!!! Great history and now I am going to read the entire book

[garysanfran]

Bought the book last year. I think the zoo should have been mentioned and only two photos addressing the history of the 1938 hurricane.

My impression of that $25 purchase is disappointing now that I know that Meredith's real history was lightly covered, or not at all. Now just seems like a publication of old family photos.

I doubt Mcdude was consulted for that 250Th project. Too bad. Histories forgotten are memories lost and never past on.

[garysanfran]

Just bought a copy...Great read.

Thanks mcdude!

[Barney Bear]

The recently published book, "The History of Bear Island", written by John A. Hopper, includes five chapters in Part l titled "The Founding of Meredith". Information concerning roads, plot plan maps, and original families is also provided. The original name for this area was New Salem. It's great reading! 🐻

[garysanfran]

Originally Posted by Barney Bear

The recently published book, "The History of Bear Island", written by John A. Hopper, includes five chapters in Part l titled "The Founding of Meredith". Information concerning roads, plot plan maps, and original families is also provided. The original name for this area was New Salem. It's great reading! 🐻

Thanks BB...

Anything about the history of Cattle Landing?

I am beginning to feel a kinda magical connection with the past when I try and imagine those who walked on the same land before me and what this land was like before them...A one mile thick glacier, etc. Astounding nutrient for thought!

[Barney Bear]

There is a lengthy "Vignette" titled "The History of Cattle Landing" which begins on page 238 and ends on page 241. It was originally known as the "Ferry Landing". Cattle and sheep grazed on Bear Island. 🐂 🐑

[jbolty]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

Thanks BB...

Anything about the history of Cattle Landing?

I am beginning to feel a kinda magical connection with the past when I try and imagine those who walked on the same land before me and what this land was like before them...A one mile thick glacier, etc. Astounding nutrient for thought!

When I was in junior high there was some project that involved me going to research the old deeds for our property and found one transfer from the late 1700s that granted the seller the right to graze on the property. Of course by then the whole 25 acres was forested with huge trees but on the far corner is a giant pine about 4 feet across with a barb wire running right through the middle. Probably nailed on when the tree was just a couple years old. History is fascinating

[Top-Water]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

.... Anything about the history of Cattle Landing?

Not that great of a photo, but thought you might like. From about 1955

[fatlazyless]

This 1955 photo looks exactly the same for 2019 ..... nothing much has changed here. The tree'd area on the left is still tree'd and still belongs to the girl scout's Camp Menotomy.

And that big rock on the left is exactly the same. Except for the dock itself, which was replaced maybe three years ago, time has stood still at the Cattle Landing.

The cows may come, and the cows may go, but nothing else changes down at the Cattle Landing! Oh yeah .... back in '87, the road got paved .... but that's not in the photo.

[Top-Water]

Originally Posted by jbolty

When I was in junior high there was some project that involved me going to research the old deeds for our property and found one transfer from the late 1700s that granted the seller the right to graze on the property. Of course by then the whole 25 acres was forested with huge trees but on the far corner is a giant pine about 4 feet across with a barb wire running right through the middle. Probably nailed on when the tree was just a couple years old. History is fascinating

Cool little side story, wonder how old that tree was / is? ....... Thanks