# Miller Park Zoo

- **Coordinates:** 40.469000, -89.005500
- **Members:** AZA
- **Location:** Bloomington, Illinois
- **Zoo Name:** Miller Park Zoo
- **Accreditation:** AZA
- **Publictransit:** Connect Transit

The zoo was started when a circus lion cub ended up on James T. Miller's farm around 1900, and was eventually given to the city of Bloomington. The lion, later named "Big Jim", died on March 26, 1912. After Big Jim's death, funds were raised to construct the Animal House (later renamed the Katthoefer Animal Building) by Bloomington architect Arthur L. Pillsbury. Ground was broken in 1913, and the building was opened to the public in 1914.

![Photo of Miller Park Zoo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Miller_Park_Zoo_20251020_0002.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_Park_Zoo (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)