What started as some local utility workers caring for two orphaned bear cubs soon became the foundation for the Wildwood Zoo.

Officer Louis Thomson with two other men playing with leashed bears, circa 1910. These are believed to be the first bear cubs of what would become the Wildwood Zoo. Courtesy of the Marshfield History Project

The two bear cubs were later joined by a pair of raccoons and a diverse flock of birds. In the early 1910s, before there was an official zookeeper, it was part of the Mayor's responsibilities to care for the animals of the zoo.

Today, the Wildwood Zoo covers 60 acres and is home to a wider variety of animals that can be found all over North America.

Find more stunning and historic photos of Marshfield in the hardcover collector's book, Marshfield Memories!