Buttonwood Park Zoo: A Wild Piece of South Coast History

The City of New Bedford acquired the land for Buttonwood Park in 1892, and two years later, Buttonwood Park Zoo opened, initially with native animals like black bears, foxes, and deer. By 1912 the collection had grown to include monkeys, elk, and bison, and by the 1960s the zoo was acquiring exotic animals, Asian elephants, leopards, lions. Emily the Asian elephant arrived in 1968 and became the zoo's most beloved resident for over five decades.

Today the zoo holds 250+ animals across 80+ species and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the third-oldest zoo in New England and the 12th-oldest in the United States.

Set inside the Buttonwood Park Historic District on a compact, walkable seven-acre campus, the zoo runs free field trip programs for New Bedford schools, youth camps, and local traditions like Boo at the Zoo.

For 130-plus years, through recessions and renovations, New Bedford has kept investing in a place that brings people together, and that says something about the city. I'm Sheri Francis with BOLD Real Estate, and if places like this are part of what draws you to New Bedford, let's talk.