Introduction to Exhibit
To celebrate the centennial of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, founded by Spencer Penrose in 1926, Penrose Heritage Museum created a new exhibit featuring never-before-seen objects and archival materials to share the inspiration behind this remarkable mountainside zoo. Learn how Spencer’s vision shaped Cheyenne Mountain Zoo during a time when zoos across the country were forging the standards and values that define animal care as it is today.
Brief History Overview
Julie and Spencer Penrose
Julie and Spencer Penrose married in 1906 and spent their life in Colorado Springs building and giving back to the community. The couple created many longstanding attractions in the Pikes Peak region, including the highway up to Pikes Peak and The Broadmoor hotel. In 1926, Spencer established Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Zoo founding in 1926
Spencer began collecting exotic animals in the early-1910s, and by 1926 hoofstock pens lined Cheyenne Mountain Highway, which he had constructed the year before. The Zoo grew rapidly over the next several years as Spencer built exhibits for his expanding animal collection. After personally funding the Zoo for more than a decade, Spencer incorporated Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as a nonprofit in 1938, establishing a legacy in which the Zoo continues to be privately funded to this day.
Exhibit Features and Documentary
Guests can expect an engaging journey through the origins, evolution, and lasting impact of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, brought to life through rare artifacts, archives, and ephemera. The exhibit reveals Spencer Penrose’s transformation of a personal menagerie into a pioneering mountainside zoo. Guests will discover stories of notable animals, innovative breeding successes, progressive exhibit designs, and the Zoo’s transition from spectacle to science. A documentary will share the voices of key individuals connected to the Zoo’s legacy and expand on the stories that make up Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s incredible history.