ZOOLOGICAL BOARD: DIRECTOR'S OFFICE

An Inventory of Its Division Correspondence at the Minnesota Historical Society

Government Records

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator: Minnesota State Zoological Board. Director's Office.
Title:Division correspondence.
Dates:1966-2006.
Language:Materials in English.
Abstract:Correspondence, memos, reports, committee minutes, photographs, and other materials documenting the relationship between the director's office and the zoo's various divisions. Includes correspondence with staff involved in marine mammals, biological programs, birds, the Northern Trail, and administration.
Quantity:8.0 cubic feet (8 boxes).
Location: See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseSCOPE AND CONTENTS

Major topics covered include admissions, animal acquisitions, attendance/revenue projections, biological programs, capital planning, conservation activities, development, health and safety, Director's Advisory Committee, Discovery Trail, education, exhibits, fund development guidelines, gift shop recommendations, horticulture, International Dairy Queen, ISIS, legislative program, the Marine Education Center (later renamed Discovery Bay), marketing, Minnesota Trail, official visitors, physical facilities, public reaction to a 1984 tiger euthanasia, public programs, public safety, Russia's Grizzly Coast, solar energy, strategic planning, visitor services, the Beluga whales, and Zoo University.

There are also 1981 and 1983 animal inventories, lists of gifts and donations (1970-1980) and board and committee members (1975-1979), memos and notices to staff (1970-1987) and meeting minutes (1989-2002), photos of staff members (1977-1982) and construction models (ca. 1973), policy memos (1970-1979, 1983-1992), visitor surveys/studies (1982-1986), and master planning documents (2000-2003).


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnesota State Zoological Board. Director's Office. Division Correspondence. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number(s): 984-180; 987-57; 994-111; 999-74; 2005-15; 2007-42

Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 001731504


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Location
116.H.14.6FAdmissions, 1978-1985.
Amphitheater, Weesner bird show, June 1992.
Animal acquisitions, 1977-1980.
Animal and plant lists, 1983.
Animal health, 1978-1981, 1989-1991. 2 folders.
Animal inventories , 1992-1996. 2 folders.
Animal management, 1980 1982.
Animal/plant sciences, 1977-1979.
Art, Warhol, 1995.
Art Committee, 1995.
Attendance, daily, 1992-1998.
Attendance, miscellaneous, 1997.
Attendance/revenue projections, 1978-1983.
Audits, 1998-2002.
Beastly Ball, 1985-1991.
Yearly formal event for zoo contributors.
Biological programs, 1978-1983, 1988-2003. 8 folders.
Includes animal inventories for 1981 and 1983.
Bird lists, 1986-1987.
Bonding program, 1971-1977.
Budget and fee structure, 1975-1978.
Budget history, 1991-2006.
Capital planning, 1969-1995. 12 folders.
Master plan, 1969.
Implementation plan, 1973.
Capital planning, 1972-1995. 4 folders.
Location
116.H.14.7BCoe, Jon, 1990.
Projects and proposals for exhibit building with Coe, the architect.
Design stages, 1988.
Harrison Price, attendance potential, 1992.
Portico Group, financial consulting, 1988.
Strategic Leisure, Inc., 1992, 1994. 2 folders.
Correspondence regarding proposals to enhance zoo displays and food service.
Committee minutes and correspondence, 1978-1979.
Common Ground, 1993-1997. 4 folders.
Common Ground exhibit, 1994-1996.
Grant requests, 1993.
Native American Advisory Committee, 1997.
Tribal requests, 1993.
Concessions, 1981.
Conservation, 1989-2006. 9 folders.
General, 1989-2004. 4 folders.
Includes zoo’s worldwide species conservation activities, especially those with the Sumatran tiger in Indonesia.
Adopt-A-Park, 1992-1996.
EXXON grants, 1992-1995.
Cat Fund, 2002-2006. 2 folders.
Sumatran Tiger, 1999.
Consultant studies on computer systems and warehousing operations, 1992-1993.
Contract management, 1978-1979.
Coral reef, 1999-2002.
Creative services, 1978-1982.
Curators monthly status reports, 1987.
Development, 1986-1995. 3 folders.
General, 1986-1990.
Director’s Advisory Committee, 1977-1979, 1991-1995. 4 folders.
Includes minutes, correspondence, and July 1978 retreat materials.
Location
116.H.14.8FDirector’s reports, 1991-1994.
Discovery Trail, 1976-1982, 1987. 2 folders.
Division directors meetings, 1983-1985.
DonCarlos, Michael, General Curator, correspondence, 1987. 2 folders.
Economic impact, 1997.
Education, 1978-1995, 2004-2005. 6 folders.
Includes materials on the school programs summary (1993-1995) and the School for Environmental Studies at the Zoo, No. 191 (1989-1994).
Energy emergency, 1977.
Enterprise activities, 1991-1996.
Evaluation team, 1978. 2 folders.
Executive officer/planner, Ralph Waterhouse and Tom Chapel, chronological files, 1980-1981.
Exhibit planning, 1985-1995.
Exhibits, 1978-1980, 1991-1992. 3 folders.
Exhibits design, 1986-1993.
Financial, 1984-1997. 8 folders.
Audits by Coopers and Lybrand, 1993-1996.
Budgets, 1991-1997.
Economic impact of zoo, 1997.
Finance, 1984-1989. 2 folders.
Fund raising policies, 1973-1978.
Year end reports, 1981-1996.
Miscellaneous financial reports, 1984-1997.
Focus groups, 1986-1987.
Fund development guidelines, 1975-1982.
Fusco, Diane, Marine Mammals, correspondence, 1987.
Gift shop recommendations, 1977-1984. 2 folders.
Location
112.I.17.8FGifts, donations, 1970-1980.
Itemized lists of gifts and donations.
Graphics Department, 1980-1983.
Health and safety, 1980-1993, 2000. 3 folders.
Herps, 1987.
Historical data about the zoo, 1966-1997.
Includes Citizens League Metropolitan Zoo report (1966) and a draft history of the zoo by John Tilton (1977).
Horticulture, 1979-1983, 1990. 2 folders.
Includes a 1990 landscape master plan.
Hospitality Management Systems, Inc., Food Service Analysis and Feasibility Report, September 1992.
Information and education services, 1978-1979.
International Dairy Queen, 1978-1993. 3 folders.
Includes correspondence regarding food sales and legal implications (1981-1983) and Dairy Queen coral reef contribution materials (1988-1991).
Iserman, Steven A., Administrative Office, correspondence, 1980.
ISIS, 1974-1984. 3 folders.
ISIS Policy Advisory Group, 1981-1982.
Kohn, Edward, personal, 1978 1982.
Legislative program, 1978-1996. 4 folders.
Legislature and legislative, 1979-1980.
Lists of board and committee members, 1975-1979.
McDevitt, Austin, Marine Mammals Curator, correspondence, 1987.
McGuire, Allan, Biological Programs, correspondence, 1987.
Major maintenance, 1983-1985.
Mammals, 1987.
Marine Education Center [MEC], 1989-1996. 4 folders.
Later renamed Discovery Bay.
MEC education program, 1989-1994.
Discovery Bay planning, 1992-1995.
Location
112.I.17.9B Discovery Bay working plan, 1996.
Dolphinarium, 1991-1993.
Marine mammal program, 1988-1996.
Marketing, 1975-1982, 1990-1997. 7 folders.
Includes sample brochures and information packets.
Master Plan, 2000-2001.
Master planning, 2000-2003. 3 folders.
Mehrtens, John, Associate Director, correspondence, 1977-1978.
Memos to staff, 1970-1987. 4 folders.
Includes notices of staff meetings.
Minnesota Trail, 1986-1987. 3 folders.
Includes 1986-1987 inventory and 1986 winter procedures.
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1970-1979, 1987. 2 folders.
Monorail operations, 1978-1980.
Objectives and guidelines for MZG project implementation, 1973-1975.
Official visitors, 1978-1982.
Location
112.I.17.10F Personnel, 1977-1995. 2 folders.
Includes photos of staff members.
Photos of construction models, circa 1973.
Physical facilities, 1976-1994. 3 folders.
Pichner, Jimmy, Birds Curator, correspondence, 1987.
Policy: Original MZG Board manual, [1976-1977].
Policy: MZG manual, 1980s.
Policy Control Group: Minutes, 1978.
Policy memos, 1970-1979, 1983-1992. 2 folders.
Policy/procedures, obsolete, 1977-1981. 4 folders.
Project safety/security manual, 1979-1982.
Promotions, 1981-1982.
Promotions: Coors' Party with Animals, 1985.
Public: Tiger euthanasia letters, 1984. 6 folders.
Location
112.I.18.1BPublic programs, 1978-1985.
Public relations, 1992-1997. 3 folders.
Public safety, 1977-1978. 2 folders.
Public Safety Division summary reports, 1978-1981.
Purchasing and inventory management, 1977-1978.
Periodic reports reflecting numbers of incidents by various categories.
Recreation Plan, 1999-2000.
Reindl, Nicholas J., Northern Trail Zookeeper, correspondence, 1987. 2 folders.
Repair Place Board, 1986-1992.
Research, 1982-1989.
Russia’s Grizzly Coast, 2001-2003.
Sandon, Donna, Records Specialist, correspondence, 1987.
Security, 1989-1991.
Smithsonian Magazine story, 1981-1982.
Solar, 1974-1979.
Staff meeting minutes, 1989-2002. 2 folders.
Strategic planning, 1989-1996.
Strategic planning: Peter Ring consultations, 1988-1989.
Technology, 1994.
Thank-yous, 1979-1980.
Tiger/Northern Trail, 2001-2002.
Tilson, Ron, Biological Programs Director, correspondence, 1987. 2 folders.
Traffic control, 1977-1979.
Uniforms, 1984.
Vision, 1991-1993. 3 folders.
Visitor services, 1978-1979.
Location
102.E.4.6F Visitor studies/surveys, 1982-1996. 2 folders.
Volunteer manual, 1986.
Volunteers, 1981-1983.
Whale trip, 1977.
Whales: Comments, Affidavits, and Supporting Attachments of Sierra Club, Humane Society, and others in opposition to extension of NMFS permit No. 200 [allowing zoo to capture four beluga whales], November 1987. 3 folders.
Zoo gate property acquisition, 1974-1992.
Zoo governance studies, 1986-1992. 3 folders.
Zoo Parent Program, 1982.
Zoo Plan tuning studies, 1985.
Reports on zoo community, efficiency, change and recommendations for the future.
Zoo properties, 1976-1992. 4 folders.
Includes 1976 appraisal reports (purchased property).
Zoo Ride: Monorail administration, 1985-1989.
Zoo Study Committee, 1985-1986.
Zoo University, 1993-1994.
Course catalogs and Zoo University objectives.
Zoo Wide Workplans, 2000-2003.
Zoogoers, 1982-1985.
Zoogroup, 1970.

Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
Animal housing -- Minnesota.
Architectural models -- Minnesota -- Photographs.
Captive mammals -- Minnesota.
Captive wild birds -- Minnesota.
Euthanasia of animals -- Public opinion -- Minnesota.
Gift shops -- Minnesota.
Grizzly bear -- Minnesota.
Marine aquariums -- Minnesota.
Selection indexes (Animal breeding) -- Minnesota.
Solar heating -- Minnesota.
Tigers -- Minnesota.
White whale -- Minnesota.
Wild animal collecting -- Minnesota.
Wildlife conservation -- Minnesota.
Zoo animals -- Minnesota -- Inventories.
Zoo directors -- Minnesota.
Zoo exhibits -- Minnesota.
Zoo keepers -- Minnesota
Zoos -- Minnesota -- Educational aspects.
Zoos -- Minnesota -- Finance.
Zoos -- Minnesota -- Officials and employees.
Zoos -- Minnesota -- Planning.
Zoos -- Minnesota -- Safety measures.
Zoo visitors -- Minnesota.
Persons:
Chapel, Tom.
Don Carlos, Michael.
Fusco, Diane.
Iserman, Steven A.
McDevitt, Austin.
McGuire, Allan.
Mehrtens, John.
Pichner, Jimmy.
Reindl, Nicholas J.
Sandon, Donna.
Tilson, Ronald Lewis.
Waterhouse, Ralph.
Organizations:
International Dairy Queen, Inc.
International Species Inventory System.
Minnesota Zoological Garden -- Buildings.
Document Types:
Inventories.
Photographs.

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