Dickerson Park Zoo has welcomed visitors to Springfield, Missouri since 1923, when the Springfield Park Board established the zoo on land purchased from the estate of Jerome Dickerson, Sr., whose name the park still carries. Like many American zoos of its era, it got a major boost in the 1930s from Works Progress Administration labor and funding, which helped build out early enclosures, walkways and stone structures that shaped the park for decades.
By the mid-1970s the zoo had fallen into disrepair and nearly closed, but a renewed commitment from the City of Springfield and a new nonprofit support group, Friends of the Zoo, turned things around. A 1985 master plan introduced geographic-themed habitats and phased redevelopment, and the zoo earned accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 1986, a status it has held ever since.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Springfield, Missouri
- Opened: 1923
- Size: About 70 acres
- Species/Animal Count: More than 500 animals, about 160 species
- Annual Visitors: Around 200,000+ (surpassed 200,000 for six straight years as of 2009)
- Accreditation: AZA-accredited since 1986
- Famous For: Research and husbandry program for Asian elephants
What to See at the Zoo
The zoo’s layout follows geographic themes established in its 1985 master plan, with areas highlighting the wildlife of South America, Asia, Africa, Australia and the zoo’s own Missouri Habitats region. The Tropical Asia area is home to Asian elephants, tigers and primates, while the Missouri Habitats section showcases native species like gray wolves, mountain lions, river otters, bobcats and black bears.
Species Survival Plan participation also connects the zoo to broader conservation efforts for Asian elephants, maned wolves and cheetahs, giving Springfield a hand in cooperative breeding and research programs that span AZA-accredited institutions nationwide.
A Legacy in Elephant Research
Dickerson Park Zoo built an international reputation through its long-running Asian elephant program, which included roughly 15 years of reproductive research before the 1998 artificial insemination of a cow named Moola. Eight elephant calves were born at the zoo, starting with Kate in 1991, though the breeding program later ended after several calves died from elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus, a setback that mirrored challenges faced by elephant programs across North America.
The zoo also experienced a serious incident in October 2013, when an elephant named Patience fatally injured longtime head zookeeper John Bradford; zoo officials chose not to euthanize Patience following the event. Despite these setbacks, Dickerson Park Zoo remains recognized for its contributions to elephant husbandry knowledge.
Explore more: More Zoos & Aquariums to Explore.
Dickerson Park Zoo FAQs
Where is Dickerson Park Zoo located?
It’s located in Springfield, Missouri, and is operated by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.
When was Dickerson Park Zoo founded?
The zoo was founded in 1923 on land purchased from the estate of Jerome Dickerson, Sr.
Is Dickerson Park Zoo accredited?
Yes, it has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1986.
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Photo: Craig Talbert / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.