Mill Mountain Zoo: 68 Years of Wildlife Conservation in Roanoke, VA
We love to highlight the area landmarks, important dates in history, and iconic institutions that make Roanoke, VA a wonderful place to live and do business. Perhaps no institution is as interwoven in the memories of 20th-century Roanokers as the Mill Mountain Zoo, located atop Mill Mountain in Roanoke, VA, adjacent to the world-famous Mill Mountain Star.
History of Roanoke’s Mill Mountain Zoo
According to the Mill Mountain Zoo’s Facebook page, “Mill Mountain Zoo was founded in 1952 as a nursery-rhyme themed petting zoo that featured farm animals, birds, and native Virginia wildlife. For the first twenty-five years, we were operated by Roanoke’s Parks and Recreation Department. In 1978, the Roanoke Jaycees renewed the zoo and replaced old exhibits to create a place appealing to all ages.”
In 1984, due to the limited capacity for expansion on top of Mill Mountain, a proposal was created to relocate the zoo to a 400-acre location just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. However, the proposal was later abandoned, and governance of the Mill Mountain Zoo was turned over to the Blue Ridge Zoological Society of Virginia, Inc. in 1988.
The Mill Mountain Zoo Today
The Mill Mountain Zoo continues to operate as a 501(c)(3) non-profit run by the Blue Ridge Zoological Society. It is still at its original location within Mill Mountain Park, a beautiful 568-acre regional park which is maintained by Roanoke Parks and Recreation at the top of Mill Mountain.
The mission of the Mill Mountain Zoo is to “is to promote an appreciation and understanding of wildlife and habitat preservation through the use of quality exhibits and educational programs, and to work in cooperation with other animal conservation programs.”
Today the zoo houses a diverse array of animals from throughout the region and the world including a snow leopard, red panda, tufted deer, red wolves, a Eurasian lynx, oriental small-clawed otters, Burmese pythons, an Indian crested porcupine, an American bald eagle, and more. Past animals housed at the Mill Mountain Zoo have included an African elephant, Siberian tiger, and even an American alligator.
General Information About Mill Mountain Zoo
The Mill Mountain Zoo, currently on Winter Hours, is open Thursday-Sunday from 10am-5pm with the last visitors admitted at 4pm. Expanded hours and the Zoo Choo train will resume in the warmer months. Admission prices are $10.00 for Adults, $9.25 for Seniors, $8.00 for children 3-11 years old, 2 and under are free. For more information or to make a contribution to the Mill Mountain Zoo, visit their website at http://www.mmzoo.org/.
About Companion Home Care Inc:
Companion Home Care is a senior home health care, adults with disabilities care, and hospice care provider in Roanoke, VA. Our motto is to provide a "better class of companion for a better quality of life". We accomplish this by hiring the best, most qualified caregivers, and using our knowledge and experience to craft a personalized home care plan for our clients, then match clients with the perfect caregiver based on client needs, personality, and skills required.
Our caregivers help seniors cope with Alzheimer's, dementia, and illnesses, and enjoy healthy and happy lives from the comfort of their own homes. In addition to senior home health care, we also provide Roanoke home care for adults and children with disabilities, traumatic brain injury and diseases, physical injuries, and special needs in Roanoke, Salem, Lynchburg, Vinton, Christiansburg, Blacksburg, Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta, Bedford, and surrounding areas of southwest Virginia.
Companion Home Care Inc
210 E 7th St
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 981-2255
Companion Home Care Inc
424 Campbell Ave SW
Roanoke, VA 24016
(540) 981-2255
