Bramble Park Zoo Celebrated 100 Years of Wildlife in 2012!!

In 1912, the City Council agreed to display a collection of pheasants and waterfowl donated by Mr. Frank Bramble. This small display was the foundation of Bramble Park Zoo. In 1940, the collection was moved from a park near downtown Watertown to its present location on SD Hwy. 20, where new exhibits were constructed to form the core of the Zoo as we know it today.

In years following, the Zoo continued to add native and exotic species such as primates, big cats and hoofstock. Today the Bramble Park Zoo is home to 800 animals spread across 15 acres for families to enjoy year round.

Bramble Park Zoo’s namesake, Mr. Frank L. Bramble, was co-founder and board chairman of Midland National Life Insurance Co. Bramble was also instrumental in getting the state of South Dakota to plant the original 250 pair of Chinese ringneck pheasants into the wild back in 1911.

The Bramble Park Zoo continues to thrive today, due to the vision and generosity of Mr. Bramble, 100 years ago.