Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is currently celebrating its 150th birthday. It is not only one of the oldest zoos in the country, but one of a few remaining free zoos. It started in 1868 with the gift of two pairs of swans from Central Park in New York City. Much has changed in the 150 years of the zoo’s existence, yet several “then and now” opportunities are still there.

Landmark Cafe

The most noticeable of these is the Landmark Cafe, which was built in 1899 and is located in the heart of the zoo.  The first two photos are undated. The Cafe roof can be seen just over the lady’s shoulder in the third photo dated 1905. Click all to enlarge.

Sea Lion Pool

The Sea Lion Pool was built in 1879. Before it was completed, 18 sea lions moved in and then escaped. One ended up in Lake Michigan and the other 17 were found at a Clark Street restaurant!! Understandably, only seals reside there now. The first photo is dated 1889.

Cafe Brauer

Cafe Brauer (aka  South Pond Refectory) was built in 1908. From the early 1900s to the 1940s it was one of the most popular restaurants in Chicago. It sat unused for almost 50 years when in 1987 a 4.5 million renovation was completed. The first photo is a 1940’s postcard. and the third photo shows the Great Hall in 1925.

Grant Statue

The Grant Statue was dedicated in 1891 and, while it is located in Lincoln Park, Chicago’s Lincoln Statue is located in Grant Park!  The first photo is dated 1892.

The Shakespeare Statue in 1908.

A father and two children at a duck pond in front of the Lion House in 1915. They are gone but the Lion House is still there about to receive a 24 million dollar renovation.

The Lincoln Park Bridge shown in 1905.

Jackson Square is located in the French Quarter and is one of the most visited sites in New Orleans. The most prominent structure is St Louis Cathedral in front of which is the statue commemorating Andrew Jackson. Also in the Square are the Pontalba Apartments. They were built in the late 1840s making them the oldest in the United States. The first  photo is dated 1900.

The pirate Lafitte operated a blacksmith shop on Bourbon St. (among his many other activities) in a building that was constructed as a house between 1722 and 1732. It is one of the oldest buildings in New Orleans and is also one of the oldest bars in the U.S. The first photo is dated 1895.

The Maison-Blanche building is located on Canal St. It was built in 1908 and operated as a department store for many years. It is now a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The first photo is dated 1910.

Any visit to New Orleans should include a stop at the Old Absinthe House. It was built in 1807 and has hosted the likes of Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, P.T. Barnum, Oscar Wilde, FDR, Frank Sinatra, and……….me! The first photo is dated 1890’s.

The New Orleans City Park was built in 1854, making it one of the oldest urban parks in the U.S.. At 1300 acres it is twice the size of New York’s Central Park. It has 30,000 trees, including  the world’s largest and oldest collection of live oak trees, some of which are over 600 years old. The oldest is the McDonogh Oak–800 years old! Note the supports installed after Katrina (click to enlarge).The Peristyle Building in the Park was built in 1907 as a concert hall and dance pavilion. The second photo is undated.

New Orleans is known worldwide for its food, music, and festivals. It has one of the world’s largest and busiest ports. Tourism is a six-billion-dollar industry, accounting for 40% of the city’s revenue. Many of its streets are famous as well. Some examples are:

637 Royal St., 1930’s

Bourbon St., 1925

Canal St., 1910

In the early 1900s, so many Italians had immigrated to the French Quarter section of New Orleans that it was known as “Little Palermo.” This photo shows the Italian Headquarters ca.1900.

My favorite New Orleans street photo comes from James Shaw Photography. He shows a milk delivery man on Esplanade Ave. in 1903, then a current view, and then he combines the two (click to enlarge).