Africa U.S.A. Park
Encyclopedia
Africa USA was an African wildlife tourist attraction that was open from 1953 until 1961. The park was located in Boca Raton, Florida
on 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land near U.S. 1. Africa USA was truly a theme park before its time, with animals allowed to roam free. Even though Disney's Animal Kingdom
in Walt Disney World
was hailed as a new concept, the idea had existed some 45 years prior in South Florida. Walt Disney
was a frequent visitor to Africa USA and considered purchasing it. In fact, Africa USA was chosen over Disneyland to grace the cover of the August 1, 1960 issue of LIFE Magazine.
, together with his wife Lillian and children Jack and Shirley.
In the 1950s, Pedersen made his dream reality. As Jack and mother Lillian were driving in Boca Raton, Florida they came across some grasslands dotted with pine trees and sabal palmetto
that looked like an African savanna
h. Pedersen looked at the land and the tiny town of Boca Raton and commented "This is the deadest town I have ever seen. I am going to wake up this town."
Pedersen purchased the 300 acres (1.2 km²) in 1950 from the City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County Commission.
Jack Pedersen flew to British East Africa to begin the process of animal collection. Working with Dr. Cecil Cade and his son Richard, Jack spent seven months in Africa
collecting rare Grevy's zebra
, ostrich
, crane
s, wildebeest
, zebra
, and gazelle
. Special permission was granted to capture the Grevy's zebra
as they are almost extinct in the wild. Jack endured many illnesses while in Africa
including malaria
and tick fever. The animals were loaded onto the Farrell Lines freighter African Planet as a modern day "Noah's Ark
." The ship left the port of Mombassa and sailed nine weeks across the Atlantic to Port Everglades
, Florida.
Florida Senator
George Smathers
was instrumental in getting permission for the animals to arrive at Port Everglades
. It was the largest shipment of animals ever to leave Africa
aboard one ship. The crates that held the ostrich
had to be constantly rebuilt to allow for the fast-growing creatures. The unloading of the animals was quite a media event and the animals were transported to their new home in Boca Raton.
On March 10, 1953 Africa USA opened its doors to the public. The admission to the gardens areas was free, and the Jungle Train Tour was 95 cents. Many major newspapers did full-page write-ups because of the uniqueness of the park - a zoo
with no cages where the visitors could safely interact with the animals. Many animals were added by purchasing animals from other zoos such as camel
s, elephant
s and giraffe
. The herds began to grow as the animals adapted to the South Florida climate.
s Mojah and Mbili, the giraffes Moneybags and Champ, but above all Princess Margaret. Margaret was a baby chimpanzee
adopted by the Pedersen family and raised in their home like a child. Margaret was most famous for kissing people. Pedersen trained her to do this by first having her kiss picture in magazines. She appeared many times on the Jack Paar
show. She learned her cue - "Kiss the pretty lady" and Margaret would kiss the women first. During the day, Margaret had her own "house" in the Africa USA administration building. Another famous celebrity who got her start at Africa USA was the pinup queen Bettie Page
. Her most famous photo shoot with the cheetah
s Mojah and Mbili is idolized even today.
. Lillian Pedersen died in 1984 but John Pedersen reached the age of 98.
base still visible. A plaque celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Africa USA opening is displayed at the lagoon
in the Camino Gardens development.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
on 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land near U.S. 1. Africa USA was truly a theme park before its time, with animals allowed to roam free. Even though Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom is an animal theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort. The fourth park built at the resort, it opened on April 22, 1998, and it is the largest single Disney theme park in the world, covering more than . It is also the first Disney theme park to be themed entirely...
in Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
was hailed as a new concept, the idea had existed some 45 years prior in South Florida. Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
was a frequent visitor to Africa USA and considered purchasing it. In fact, Africa USA was chosen over Disneyland to grace the cover of the August 1, 1960 issue of LIFE Magazine.
Founding
Africa USA was built by John P. Pedersen. Pedersen always dreamed of building a wild animal park in FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, together with his wife Lillian and children Jack and Shirley.
In the 1950s, Pedersen made his dream reality. As Jack and mother Lillian were driving in Boca Raton, Florida they came across some grasslands dotted with pine trees and sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto, also known as cabbage palm, palmetto, cabbage palmetto, palmetto palm, blue palmetto, Carolina palmetto, common palmetto, swamp cabbage and sabal palm, is one of 15 species of palmetto palm . It is native to the southeastern United States, Cuba, and the Bahamas...
that looked like an African savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
h. Pedersen looked at the land and the tiny town of Boca Raton and commented "This is the deadest town I have ever seen. I am going to wake up this town."
Pedersen purchased the 300 acres (1.2 km²) in 1950 from the City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County Commission.
Safari in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
collecting rare Grevy's zebra
Grevy's Zebra
The Grévy's zebra , also known as the Imperial zebra, is the largest extant wild equid and one of three species of zebra, the other two being the plains zebra and the mountain zebra. Named after Jules Grévy, it is the sole extant member of the subgenus Dolichohippus. The Grévy's zebra is found in...
, ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
, crane
Crane (bird)
Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the order Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back...
s, wildebeest
Wildebeest
The wildebeest , also called the gnu is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. It is a hooved mammal...
, zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
, and gazelle
Gazelle
A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera...
. Special permission was granted to capture the Grevy's zebra
Grevy's Zebra
The Grévy's zebra , also known as the Imperial zebra, is the largest extant wild equid and one of three species of zebra, the other two being the plains zebra and the mountain zebra. Named after Jules Grévy, it is the sole extant member of the subgenus Dolichohippus. The Grévy's zebra is found in...
as they are almost extinct in the wild. Jack endured many illnesses while in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
including malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and tick fever. The animals were loaded onto the Farrell Lines freighter African Planet as a modern day "Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark is a vessel appearing in the Book of Genesis and the Quran . These narratives describe the construction of the ark by Noah at God's command to save himself, his family, and the world's animals from the worldwide deluge of the Great Flood.In the narrative of the ark, God sees the...
." The ship left the port of Mombassa and sailed nine weeks across the Atlantic to Port Everglades
Port Everglades
Port Everglades is a port in Broward County, Florida. As one of South Florida's leading economic powerhouses, Port Everglades is the gateway for international trade and cruise vacations. Already one of the three busiest cruise ports worldwide, Port Everglades is also one of Florida's leading...
, Florida.
Florida Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
George Smathers
George Smathers
George Armistead Smathers was an American lawyer and politician who represented the state of Florida in the United States Senate for eighteen years, from 1951 until 1969, as a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life:...
was instrumental in getting permission for the animals to arrive at Port Everglades
Port Everglades
Port Everglades is a port in Broward County, Florida. As one of South Florida's leading economic powerhouses, Port Everglades is the gateway for international trade and cruise vacations. Already one of the three busiest cruise ports worldwide, Port Everglades is also one of Florida's leading...
. It was the largest shipment of animals ever to leave Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
aboard one ship. The crates that held the ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
had to be constantly rebuilt to allow for the fast-growing creatures. The unloading of the animals was quite a media event and the animals were transported to their new home in Boca Raton.
Opening
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
with no cages where the visitors could safely interact with the animals. Many animals were added by purchasing animals from other zoos such as camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
s, elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s and giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
. The herds began to grow as the animals adapted to the South Florida climate.
Celebrities
Many animals were very popular at Africa USA. The cheetahCheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
s Mojah and Mbili, the giraffes Moneybags and Champ, but above all Princess Margaret. Margaret was a baby chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
adopted by the Pedersen family and raised in their home like a child. Margaret was most famous for kissing people. Pedersen trained her to do this by first having her kiss picture in magazines. She appeared many times on the Jack Paar
Jack Paar
Jack Harold Paar was an author, American radio and television comedian and talk show host, best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962...
show. She learned her cue - "Kiss the pretty lady" and Margaret would kiss the women first. During the day, Margaret had her own "house" in the Africa USA administration building. Another famous celebrity who got her start at Africa USA was the pinup queen Bettie Page
Bettie Page
Bettie Mae Page was an American model who became famous in the 1950s for her fetish modeling and pin-up photos. She has often been called the "Queen of Pinups"...
. Her most famous photo shoot with the cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
s Mojah and Mbili is idolized even today.
Closure
As the 1950s continued, Africa USA became more and more popular as a tourist attraction with 300,000 visitors a year. John Pedersen had succeeded in putting Boca Raton on the map. Housing developments such as Boca Isles began to spring up around the Africa USA property. Many residents complained about the noise and traffic to which Africa USA contributed. Africa USA was sold and closed its doors on September 4, 1961. The animals were auctioned to zoos around the country. Pedersen was 65 years old at the time and tired of fighting city hall. The Africa USA era had come to an end. The Pedersens retired to Lake WorthLake Worth
Lake Worth is the name of several places in the United States:*Lake Worth, Florida, a city*Lake Worth Lagoon, a lagoon in Florida*Lake Worth, Texas, a town in Texas*Lake Worth , a lake in Texas...
. Lillian Pedersen died in 1984 but John Pedersen reached the age of 98.
Today
The property that was Africa USA is now the Camino Gardens development. Much of the lagoon is intact with the geyserGeyser
A geyser is a spring characterized by intermittent discharge of water ejected turbulently and accompanied by a vapour phase . The word geyser comes from Geysir, the name of an erupting spring at Haukadalur, Iceland; that name, in turn, comes from the Icelandic verb geysa, "to gush", the verb...
base still visible. A plaque celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Africa USA opening is displayed at the lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
in the Camino Gardens development.
See also
- Africa U.S.A., CaliforniaMarine World/Africa U.S.A., CaliforniaMarine World/Africa USA, was a tourist attraction located in Redwood Shores, California. The park was named Marine World when it first opened.-Origins of the Africa U.S.A. name:...
(California park not affiliated with the original Africa U.S.A.)