Google, IBM & Meta Certificates — All 10,000+ Courses at 40% Off
One annual plan covers every course and certificate on Coursera. 40% off for a limited time.
Get Full Access
Explore the forgotten history of Los Angeles's first zoo through this 11-minute documentary that uncovers one of the city's strangest abandoned landmarks hidden in Griffith Park. Discover how the original Griffith Park Zoo, built in 1912 as a symbol of LA's growing cultural ambitions, became a cautionary tale of poor planning and inadequate funding. Learn about the zoo's cheap hillside construction, the public scandal surrounding its concrete cages and cramped animal enclosures, and how New Deal renovations temporarily masked deeper structural problems. Trace the facility's journey from its quiet closure in the 1960s to its current state as an urban ruin, graffiti-covered hangout, and public curiosity that continues to intrigue visitors today. Understand how this failed civic project reflects an era with limited understanding of animal welfare while examining the lasting impact of urban decay on one of Los Angeles's most iconic parks.
