1914    Minot Park District declared Riverside Park Zoo at a park board meeting on April 9, 1914.

At that time, the zoo had 24 animals: 12 fox squirrels & 12 grey squirrels.

1920    BISON – Often misquoted as RPZs first animal, RPZs first large mammal was a male American bison from Montana.

1921    AVIARY – The Zoological building was RPZs first permanent structure. It is the 2021 centennial centerpiece. At the time it was initially constructed, the Zoological building housed the entire zoo! In those early days, it was known by visitors as the ‘Stink House.’ It served as the education center and gift shop during much of the later half of its first century. After the 2011 Mouse River flood, the Zoological building was renovated into the RPZ Aviary. 

Also constructed in 1921 was the original bear den. Both the bear den and Zoological building were constructed with bond issue through the Minot Park Board.

1922    Following the September death of former president Theodore Roosevelt, Minot’s Park Board adopted a resolution to change the name of Riverside Park to Roosevelt Park.

1924    STATUE – depicting an equestrian TR scene. The 6,500 lb statue was delivered from New York by the Great Northern Railway. Crafted by LA sculptor J. Phimister Proctor and funded by ND Dr. Henry Waldo Coe, the statue is a replica of one given to Portland, Oregon (which was toppled by rioters in October 2020).

1930s   Zoo construction was slowed greatly during the Great Depression. The zoo staff was cut to two people, Superintendent wages were paid by his use of an office and typewriter to continue his editorial work with the Congress of American Parks.

1940s   During and after WWII salvageable equipment and boiler pipe and “Hog” wire were used to build more pens for the Zoo.  The Zoo now contained Deer, Bison, Elk, Lions, Cougars, Black Bear, Rhesus Monkeys, Llama, Coyotes, various rodents and an abundant display of native waterfowl.

1950s   Enclosures lacked cleanliness. Fallow & Sika deer were added. Due to a lack of funds, the zoo was a place you drove by slowly but seldom stopped. 

1960s   At community request, the Park Board began to appropriate more money for the Zoo.  Chain link fencing started to replace “Hog” wire.  Old straw and wire shelters gave way to concrete block shelters.  The Zoo began to resemble a “Zoo.”

1969    FLOOD – Minot suffered its greatest flood since 1905.  The Zoo and Park areas were under water for 40 days and 40 nights.  Every animal/bird was moved from the Zoo area and kept at the local BN stockyards. The flood gave us a chance to redesign our Zoo.

1970s   Where it once was only a drive through to the park, the Zoo became a separate unit with its own identity. The Park Board allocated more monies to streamline the pens holding hoofed stock.

Greater Minot Zoological Society was created, initially to provide the large cats with a new home. The board of volunteer community members continues today.

1971    The corps of Engineers began construction of a new river channel.  Because of this, construction and progress within the zoo was halted.  The new channel for the Mouse River cut our Zoo into two areas. 

New enclosures for the hoofed stock were built, all with moat areas. The Exchange Club constructed the Children’s Zoo.

1974    CATS – A new Feline House was built to house our lion, tigers, jaguars, and cougars.

1975    BRIDGE – The Park Board allocated $250,000 for Zoo construction. A matching grant was obtained through the Bureau of Reclamation. A new 379-foot bridge was built to connect the “two” zoos. 

BEAR – A new bear den for Kodiaks was built. This replaced the 1921 bear den, funded with a bond issue approved by 83% of voters.

1980    CAMEL – We added camels to our exhibit.

1981    GATE ADMISSION – Park Board initiated a gate admission to the Zoo to help defray cost.

1982    ZEBRA – We added zebra to our collection.

1984    Master plan for the Zoo was written by McFadzean, Everly & Assoc. (Mt. Prospect, IL)

1985    According to the Master Plan, new parking areas and entrance gates were constructed.

1986    Feline exhibit interior remodel.

1987    North American exhibit completed & inside of the Zoology Building was remodeled

1988    BOBCAT – A bobcat exhibit was built.

1989    Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accreditation for the first time. Exhibits built for giraffe and lemur.

1990    GIRAFFE – Giraffes added to our exhibit.

1991    Barn and exhibit renovations constructed for zebra, eland and camel. Snow leopards were added; RPZ worked with AZA Species Survival Plan (SSP) for leopards.

1992    Started to replace the old rock shelters with concrete barns. Two were completed this year with the remaining three to be completed in 1993.

1993    White male Bengal tiger (Kubla) arrived at the zoo.

1995    PENGUIN – Exhibit was constructed and Black-Footed Penguins arrived.

1998    The Discovery barn was added to the Children’s Zoo.

1999    DIK DIK – Guenther’s Dik Dik was added.

2000    WARTHOG – The zoo added African Warthogs.

2001    BONGO – The zoo added Bongos.

2002    Siamang Gibbons were added to replace the spider monkeys.

BIRTHS: Bongo and Bactrian camel (Poopy).

2003    Otter habitat construction took place over the summer months. The Greater Minot Zoological Society took out a construction loan to make this the first exhibit solely funded by the GMZS, with no help from the Minot Park District or tax dollars.

EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS: A duck pond viewing deck was built to overlook the waterfall and duck pond area; with help from the Minot Park District Maintenance Department and Eagle Scout (Ross Lakoduk), the deck was completed the fall of 2003.  Eagle Scout (Devin Cole) built a tortoise exhibit using the old food booth building (SW area of the zoo) and surrounding grass area.  Both exhibits will be open for public viewing in 2004.

2004    OTTER – Grand opening for the North American River Otter exhibit & three otters.

BIRTHS: Amur Leopard cub was born in November.

2005    West African Crowned Cranes were brought into the zoo and displayed with the bongos. A wild-caught grizzly bear (Goldie) makes his home at the Roosevelt Park Zoo. 

EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS: Sitting area near the lemur habitat.

2006    The zoo went through a Strategic Planning session during August of 2006. The waterfall (SW are of zoo) was given a face lift this summer. Two new martin houses were placed in the Children’s Zoo.  Companions for Children painted the penguin mural on the wall by Burdick Expressway.

EDUCATION: Built and put into use the education cart (Wonder Wagon).

EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS: Staining pens for warthog and sika/fallow, started giraffe feeding station work and made updates to the Children’s Zoo’s little white house. 

2007    The Children’s Zoo Barn burnt down in March. Rebuild took place with donations and insurance. Replacement building opened in June. The concession stand was renovated during the off season and made record profits during the summer.  New animals brought to the zoo included a male African lion (Kiota), a pair of trumpeter hornbills, four Egyptian tortoises and a female chestnut mandible toucan. The bear habitat now hosts three bears (Goldie, Sandy & Judy). Garden displays

EDUCATION: Zoo camp theme: Penguin Adventures. Teens formed group called ‘For Planet Earth’ and cleaned Wildwood Park in Velva after the snowstorm of 2005 devastated the habitat and trail system.

GIRAFFE FEEDING STATION: Open June 2007. Visitors able to pay an additional charge to feed a giraffe browse while listening to a conservation chat.

2008    KX News series ‘Jungle Joe’ was popular. Added Kirk’s dik-diks, a Damara zebra, female African lion (Jasira), female snow leopard, female black & white ruffed lemur, a pair of bobcats, and a new species at our Zoo: the Japanese serow.  ATTENDANCE: 74,000.

BIRTH: Giraffe calf (Luna)

2009    SSP breeding program recommended a male bongo from Denver Zoo at RPZ. Animal additions also included two young snow leopards and a family of red kangaroos. Various reptiles and amphibians: veiled chameleons, crested geckos, and Mediterranean geckos.  In fall, a female musk ox and female Amur tiger were also added to the collection.

2010    Added a family group of kangaroos. Animal Behavioral Training began with a week-long staff training workshop (Gary Priest). Construction began on a new Visitor Center which was about 75% complete before the flood. AZA accreditation. ATTENDANCE: 88,000.

2011    FLOOD – Mouse (Souris) River flooding threats were on going through the spring and resulted in the flood of record for the area.

May 31^:  An evacuation order was issued due to potential flooding threat.  RPZ evacuated animals with the help of zoo staff, Minot Park District, GMZS, other ND zoos and community volunteers. The river crested and the threat of flood seemed to have subsided. Zoo officials were considering bringing animals back.

June 18:  After a 5-inch rainfall occurred upstream in Canada, flooding was imminent.  All 40 buildings and structures were evacuated as best we could. All animals were relocated. The last ones to be moved were the giraffes (a specialized trailer needed to arrive from OH) and the bears (appropriate sedation was not kept at RPZ).

June 22:  RPZ flooded and was under 8 to 12 feet of water for almost three weeks.  Following the devastation of the flood, animals were moved to locations throughout the US for long-term housing. We kept a small number of species at a Ward County warehouse which became known as ‘Zoo North.’

2012    Staff worked arduously to restore the grounds. FEMA and flood insurance helped offset some of the cost to rebuild and clean the Zoo. Among the many volunteers included ND Governor Jack Dalrymple and other state officials.

2013    REOPEN – 80% of animal species returned to RPZ. Visitor Center was complete for a new entrance, admission, giftshop, exhibit (cotton-top tamarins) classroom and office space. Additions included a trackless train ride, Discovery Barn renovation, and PA system.  Behind-the-scenes, RPZ added a necropsy room. Staffing, RPZ added the first full-time, on-staff veterinarian (Ann Olson).

2014    Minot Park District and GMZS restored the iconic Zoology building, renovated into an Aviary. Construction on a new Red Panda exhibit. Animals continued to return home as habitats were finished including penguin, dik-dik, snow leopard and serow. The otter exhibit required much work post-flood and was still under construction. 

2015    Aviary, red panda and otter exhibits debuted for opening day. Bongos were the last species to make their way home and arrived in late fall. Animal Behavioral Training Program formally adopted with consultant (Beth Briggs). Added clinic garage. Started hosting winter hours, open year-round. Added a full-time educator position.

2016    Rotary Club restored historic Soo train engine. SBO strategic planning (Stai, Bertsch & Ondracek, Minot, ND). AZA accreditation.

ANIMALS: Additions: Burrowing owls, female bobcat, female dik-dik and female otter.

2017    RPZ was the beneficiary at Community Rocks! concert; proceeds funded a goat bridge project in the Children’s Zoo. Aviary covered patio collapsed under snow load; replaced.  The 1920s lion cage was removed from the exterior of the Zoology building. RPZ staff began participation of BFF spotlighting field conservation in Badlands National Park with Prairie Wildlife Research. Fundraising for big cat habitats officially began in July when the Minot Community Facilities Fund awarded the first million for the campaign and a ceremonial campaign kickoff followed in December.

ANIMALS: Additions: Okapi and black-footed ferret. Outsourced: Waterfowl.

2018    Groundbreaking for lion & tiger habitats. Discovery Barn themed for North Dakota wildlife, adding prairie dogs to existing BFF, burrowing owl and bee habitats. Bactrian camel habitat moved to the North Trail (cold climate). Geographic area theming began to take shape with the ISP (Institutional Species Plan).

ANIMALS: Additions: prairie dogs. Outsourced: Peruvian thick knees.

2019    Severson-Ahart African Lion Savanna opened on September 20, 2018. AZA accreditation.

ANIMALS: Additions: new trackless train and garage by GMZS. Outsourced: Tamarins.

2020    Amur Tiger River Valley Habitat opened on June 18, 2020. ATTENDANCE: 97,000

ANIMALS: Additions: Linneaus two-toed sloth, southern three-banded armadillo. Outsourced: Cotton-top tamarins and snow leopards.

EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS: African tortoise habitat

2021    Centennial celebration.

ANIMALS: Outsourced: Reindeer.

2024     Ja’Kiya, the first lion cub in 44 years at RPZ was born. Bravera bank purchased naming rights to the cub and worked with the RPZ team to create a name that paid homage to both Bravera’s namesake, meaning bravery and truth, and the cub’s African heritage.