Belle Benchley
Encyclopedia
Belle Jennings Benchley, known as “The Zoo Lady,” was the director of the San Diego Zoo
from 1927 to 1953, guiding its expansion from a small collection of animals to an innovative, world-class zoo
.
in 1882 and moved to San Diego with her family at the age of 5. They settled in the Roseville area of Point Loma, where the local elementary school was located in her parents’ home. She later attended Russ High School (now San Diego High School
) and San Diego Normal School (now San Diego State University
).
She married William L. Benchley in 1906; they had one child, a son. They divorced in 1922.
, the president of the Zoological Society of San Diego
, to serve as bookkeeper for the San Diego Zoological Garden. In 1927 she was promoted to the top position in the zoo, that of executive secretary. Her title was soon changed to zoo director, in which position she served until her retirement in 1953. For most of her career she was the only woman zoo director in the world.
She and Dr. Wegeforth as a team oversaw the growth of the zoo through extensive animal collecting and innovative design. The zoo was one of the first to put animals into naturalistic “cageless” exhibits. During her term as director, annual attendance increased more than fourfold, and the budget increased more than sevenfold.
She served on committees of the American Zoological Association and was its first woman president; she was a member of the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens. She wrote several books, including My Life in a Man Made Jungle, the memoir My Animal Babies, and the children’s book Shirley Visits the Zoo.
In 2007 she was inducted into the San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame.
She died at the age of 91. She is buried in Greenwood Memorial Park
in San Diego, where her gravestone features a carving of the head of a smiling gorilla.
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, is one of the most progressive zoos in the world, with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species...
from 1927 to 1953, guiding its expansion from a small collection of animals to an innovative, world-class zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
.
Personal
Belle Jennings was born in KansasKansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
in 1882 and moved to San Diego with her family at the age of 5. They settled in the Roseville area of Point Loma, where the local elementary school was located in her parents’ home. She later attended Russ High School (now San Diego High School
San Diego High School
San Diego High School is an urban public educational complex comprising six small schools located on the southern edge of Balboa Park, in San Diego, California. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. It is the oldest high school in the San Diego Unified School District and one of the...
) and San Diego Normal School (now San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
).
She married William L. Benchley in 1906; they had one child, a son. They divorced in 1922.
San Diego Zoo
After a stint as a school teacher, she was hired in 1925 by Dr. Harry M. WegeforthHarry M. Wegeforth
Harry Milton Wegeforth was a physician in San Diego who led the effort to create the San Diego Zoo in 1916, and served as president of the board of directors of the Zoological Society of San Diego from its founding until his death in 1941...
, the president of the Zoological Society of San Diego
Zoological Society of San Diego
The Zoological Society of San Diego is a non-profit organization that operates the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and the Institute for Conservation Research. It was founded in 1916 under the leadership of Dr. Harry M...
, to serve as bookkeeper for the San Diego Zoological Garden. In 1927 she was promoted to the top position in the zoo, that of executive secretary. Her title was soon changed to zoo director, in which position she served until her retirement in 1953. For most of her career she was the only woman zoo director in the world.
She and Dr. Wegeforth as a team oversaw the growth of the zoo through extensive animal collecting and innovative design. The zoo was one of the first to put animals into naturalistic “cageless” exhibits. During her term as director, annual attendance increased more than fourfold, and the budget increased more than sevenfold.
She served on committees of the American Zoological Association and was its first woman president; she was a member of the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens. She wrote several books, including My Life in a Man Made Jungle, the memoir My Animal Babies, and the children’s book Shirley Visits the Zoo.
Recognition
Upon her retirement in 1953, the mayor of San Diego proclaimed “Belle Benchley Day” and a retirement dinner was attended by more than 800 people.In 2007 she was inducted into the San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame.
She died at the age of 91. She is buried in Greenwood Memorial Park
Greenwood Memorial Park (San Diego)
Greenwood Memorial Park is a cemetery located on county-owned land at 4300 Imperial Avenue in San Diego County, California. The cemetery is adjacent to Mount Hope Cemetery.Opened in 1908, Greenwood covers approximately five miles east of Downtown San Diego...
in San Diego, where her gravestone features a carving of the head of a smiling gorilla.
See also
- Benchley, Belle J., My Life in a Man-Made Jungle, Little Brown & Co., Boston, 1940
- Benchley, Belle J., My Friends, the Apes, Little Brown & Co., Boston, 1942
- Benchley, Belle J., My Animal Babies, Little Brown & Co., Boston, 1945
- Benchley, Belle J., Shirley Visits the Zoo, Little Brown & Co., Boston, 1947
- Poynter, Margaret, The Zoo Lady: Belle Benchley and the San Diego Zoo, Dillon Press, Minneapolis, 1980.