By SUSAN PARK and LEAH WEATHERSBY

Much of North Seattle's history is strongly tied to the old sawmills that used to dot the area, and the Woodland Park Zoo, which celebrated its centennial in 1999, is no exception.

Guy Phinney was a wealthy sawmill owner who, in 1889, purchased a 188-acre estate on what is now Phinney Ridge. He developed the land for public use and opened it as a park.

Phinney passed away in 1893. After several years of trying to maintain the park, Phinney's widow, Nellie, sold it to the City in 1899 for what seemed at the time like an exorbitant price: $100,000. The cost of the land was so shocking the mayor vetoed the acquisition. Fortunately, the City Council had the votes to overrule him.

In 1902, the Olmstead Bothers, well known for their landscaping work at Central Park in New York and at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, were hired to design Woodland Park.

The first animals were acquired sometime around 1904 from a private zoo that closed down in Leschi Park.

A Pony Ring was constructed in 1914 that became a huge hit. It still exists in much the same fashion as it did then except for the railing which had originally been made from wooden boards.

The next animal acquisition was smuggled from Europe in 1918, an Argonne deer taken from France as a mascot by some returning World War I soldiers ("doughboys").

Long-time Woodland Park Zoo Director Gus Knudson was hired in 1907, originally with the title of Animal Keeper. Knudson became the director in 1922 and ran the Zoo until he retired in 1947.

His tenure saw exciting changes. Several exhibits were constructed along the Zoo's 20-acre stretch on Phinney, including the Primate House, which is still standing, a small Elephant House, cages for lions and bears, an eagle aviary and yards for waterfowl, deer, elk and bison.

In 1932, Aurora Avenue was constructed, cutting the park into two halves. Today, Woodland Park Zoo takes up 92 acres, most of the section west of Aurora.

Woodland Park Zoo endured hard times during the Depression and World War II, with little money for food and improvements. Zoo keepers drove around the city collecting leftover food from markets to feed the animals.

The Seattle Mayor at that time, John Dore, even voiced his opinion that the Zoo should be eliminated on "humane and economical" grounds.

The story of Tusko

However, Mayor Dore was also a friend to the Zoo on at least one occasion. In 1932 Tusko, known as "the world's largest elephant," visited Seattle. Visitors paid to come see the animal in chains.

Tusko had originally been owned by the Al G. Barnes circus until he matured into a full male. He was then sold because adult males inevitably become too large and difficult to handle. A man in Portland bought Tusko and began parading him around the country on a flatbed truck.

When Tusko toured Seattle, a citizen complained to the City about the conditions Tusko was kept in.

Mayor Dore exercised his abilities to confiscate the giant elephant and ordered it transported to Woodland Park Zoo. Tusko's popularity with Seattleites spread fast, and the City began negotiations to purchase the elephant from its owner.

Sadly, in June 1933, Tusko was found dead in his quarters.

Bobo

In 1953, the Zoo received what would prove to be one of its most popular inhabitants ever: a gorilla named Bobo who had been raised by the Lowman family in Anacortes.

Apparently, the Lowmans realized that a family home is no place for a gorilla - even one who wore human clothing as Bobo did. Bobo remained a resident of Woodland Park Zoo until his death in 1968.

Endangerend species

In 1990, the Zoo helped save a species from extinction: the western pond turtle. The zoo staff worked in partnership with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to headstart 27 baby western pond turtles back into the wild. "By 1998, the population of wild pond turtles had nearly doubled from these efforts," according to a 1999 article in the Zoo's magazine: @thezoo. The article also noted that "This conservation effort led to the formation of the Center for Wildlife Conservation" in 1991. (