Alligator resting next to pool; c. 1935 (Miscellaneous Collection)

Construction of the bear exhibit; photo dated August 22, 1931 (Knecht 1481)

Visitors observing bears in the zoo’s first den; dated 1929 (Knecht 1655)

Family of bears in the den; c. 1935 (Miscellaneous Collection)

Photo dated 1938 (Knecht 1449)

Photo dated 1938 (Knecht 1219)

Photo dated October 11, 1936 (Knecht 1459)

Bunny and Dynamite the pony rehearse for act at Mesker Zoo; trainers are Louis Rhoades (right) and Jack Thompson (background); photo dated April 1, 1961 (Knecht 691)

Hadi arrives at the zoo in 1936 (Knecht 1583)

Hadi, a camel donated by the Hadi Shriners; photo dated 1936 (Knecht 1439)

Visiting the zoo in March 1938; Kay the Elephant and trainer Robert McGraw stand in the background (Knecht 1588)

Kay the Elephant entertains children; photo dated June 4, 1929 (Knecht 1740)

Courier photographer and columnist examines zoo artifacts; photo dated 1929 (Knecht 1783)

Kay enjoys a bath; photo dated July 13, 1936 (Knecht 1698)

Kay poses with trainer Robert McGraw; photo dated August 1941 (Knecht 1768)

Kay in Germany, on her way to Evansville from India; photo dated 1929 (Knecht 1778)

Photo dated April 10, 1933 (Knecht 1808)

Trainer Bob McGraw filing the elephant’s toe nails; c. 1930s (Steinback 13)

School children enjoying a visit with Kay; photo dated May 31, 1929 (Knecht 1702)

William Emery, superintendent of animals, stands next to Kay; photo dated June 6, 1935 (Knecht 1815)

Probably the parade celebrating Kay’s arrival in Evansville in 1929 (Schlamp 29)

Kay is behind bars inside her shelter; c. 1935 (Knecht 5767)

One of the first buildings at the zoo (named in honor of Karl Kae Knecht, who helped to found the zoo); photo dated 1930 (Knecht 1526)

C. 1940s (VC 80)

View of the lion den; c. 1935 (Miscellaneous Collection)

C. 1930s (Knecht 1581)

The first building erected at the zoo (1928); lions Belle and Brutus II show off their cub; photo dated April 1929 (Knecht 1755)

Photo dated March 31, 1930 (Knecht 1560)

Trainer Bob McGraw with his daughter Norma (Steinback); c. 1930s (Steinback 16)

Animals grazing near the lion exhibit; c. 1930s (Knecht 1593)

Photo taken in February 1948 (Knecht 1714)

Visitors strolling the zoo grounds; photo dated June 24, 1935 (Knecht 1522)

C. 1930s (Knecht 1661)

Crowd watching chimpanzees at play in new cage with caretaker Robert McGraw; photo dated June 1935 (Knecht 1448)

Road construction near the Knecht Building (on top of hill); photo dated June 1936 (Knecht 1224)

Photo dated 1938 (Knecht 1782)

Construction of one of the first buildings at the zoo after the arrival of two lions; photo dated April 1928 (Knecht 1769)

Crowd welcoming Kay the Elephant to the zoo on June 14, 1929 (Knecht 1825)

New Kiwanis stage under construction; photo dated 1933 (Knecht 1830)

Kuku (left) and Jaycee (right) frolic on top of a lion statue; photo dated 1938 (Knecht 1835)

Totem pole and shelter cabin (Karl Kae Knecht stands at the right); photo dated 1937 (Knecht 732)

Kay the Elephant with Karl Kae Knecht, her namesake, shortly after her arrival in 1929 (Knecht 1781)

View of the Knecht Building (animal house); c. 1940 (VC 77)

Weathervane depicting Kay the Elephant; photo dated July 1938 (Knecht 1657)

View of the zoo in 1937 (Knecht 1654)

“Tea time” for chimpanzees; c. 1930s (Knecht 1119)

View of lake, looking towards the main animal house on the hill; c. 1935 (Miscellaneous Collection)

Trainer Robert McGraw holds “Miss Georgia”; photo dated 1934 (Knecht 1127)

Lake and formal garden; photo dated 1938 (Knecht 784)

Buddy Hollander sits on “Joe Cook”; photo dated 1938 (Knecht 1192)