29:
200:
and the
Adventurers Club. These events centered on outdoor banquets set in a clearing among the animal cages, at which guests were served small samples of barbecued lion meat in addition to steak and chicken. An honored guest at these meals, toasted and encouraged to walk the length of the table, was
208:
first came to
Hollywood in 1926, she didn't speak much English. Publicist Don Gillum arranged a publicity stunt at the Farm where the actress was to be photographed cuddling lion cubs, and in a stunt cage so it looked like she was sitting with Numa. Although Gillum told her what she would be doing,
143:
Needing more room for their animals, the Gays found a large plot of un-zoned property in El Monte, east of Los
Angeles, where in 1925 they opened Gay's Lion Farm, a public attraction dedicated to the breeding, training and exhibition of African lions. The Farm quickly became one of the most popular
241:
took off after the lion and felled him with a bullet in the brain. Short-Tail walked into an open cage, and
Hoffman was able to lock him in. But Ike got shot in the leg and ran around the farm in a rage, menacing a cow, a cage full of baby lions and arriving police officers. Ike finally died in a
260:
At its high point, there were more than 200 adult lions living at the Farm. The farm closed in
December 1942, when wartime rationing made it impossible to get the ton of horse meat required daily for the cats, and the lions were loaned to zoos around the country. But by the time the war ended,
264:
The site of the Farm is now an overpass of
Interstate 10, the location distinguished by a life-sized bronze statue of a male lion behind a chain link fence beside the sidewalk. A larger lion statue, which was commissioned for the Farm, stands in front of nearby El Monte High School.
181:), was a U-shaped compound, with separate cages for each adult cat, a nursery, and a central caged arena where Charles Gay, with whip and gun, performed a classic lion tamer act for the crowds. Feedings were also a big draw, with a ton of meat being consumed daily.
209:
Garbo didn't recognize the word lion, and so didn't realize what was in store for her until she was almost in the cage, at which point she shrieked "Oh! Dos terrible animals!" But she was a good sport and posed for the pictures.
232:
In
September 1928, while the Gays were traveling in Europe, a trainer failed to close a runway while lions Ike and Short-Tail were being moved between cages. The lion made a dash for freedom, and slashed the arm of farm manager
383:
1096:
1081:
376:
879:
1091:
369:
136:(then known as Westlake Park) where the public could watch Charles Gay working with three adult lions. The lions were trained as animal actors in the burgeoning
1066:
630:
1061:
1086:
599:
248:
144:
tourist attractions in the
Southland, doing a brisk trade in souvenir photographic postcards. Among the famous animals raised on the Farm were
513:
457:
261:
Charles Gay was too ill to reclaim his cats. He retired to Balboa Island, where he died in 1950. He is buried at San
Gabriel Cemetery.
461:
446:
352:
623:
1056:
895:
274:
826:
570:
1076:
708:
702:
411:
1012:
914:
120:. It operated from 1925 through 1942, when it was closed temporarily due to wartime meat shortages. It never reopened.
1051:
955:
616:
467:
696:
488:
992:
832:
757:
686:
668:
585:
421:
237:
at the moment Rounan fired a shot at the animal; the wound required 100 stitches, and Rounan later died. Trainer
820:
662:
539:
508:
173:
The 5-acre (2.0 ha) farm with its thatched roof, African-inspired architecture (a likely inspiration for
997:
867:
838:
808:
156:, and the celebrated comic lion Numa (1912–1930, died of cancer and was stuffed), named for the lion in the
529:
178:
166:
856:
844:
472:
436:
314:
1071:
890:
850:
185:
117:
62:
188:
adopted the Lions name for its teams, and the Gays provided a lion mascot named Elmo for big games.
987:
926:
873:
802:
674:
656:
580:
534:
441:
145:
950:
691:
493:
238:
234:
153:
149:
113:
109:
977:
942:
920:
772:
762:
730:
565:
498:
322:
217:
349:
906:
777:
426:
242:
hail of bullets from many guns. This incident provided inspiration for hard-boiled author
932:
861:
794:
783:
735:
719:
714:
451:
356:
213:
161:
361:
28:
982:
814:
741:
575:
393:
279:
221:
160:
books. Slats, Numa, and Jackie (the friendliest of the three) appeared as one lion in
137:
133:
1045:
767:
752:
555:
246:'s short story "The Baby in the Icebox," which in turn inspired his celebrated novel
243:
128:
Founders
Charles and Muriel Gay were Anglo-French circus performers who arrived in
196:
Starting in 1927, the Farm hosted organized visits from men's clubs, such as the
746:
725:
680:
416:
205:
174:
129:
640:
431:
397:
197:
152:(1924–1927, died of appendicitis and was stuffed) and his lookalike successor
1027:
1014:
326:
116:
just west of the south-east junction of Peck Road and Valley Boulevard in
884:
503:
608:
157:
16:
Tourist attraction in El Monte, California, United States (1925–1942)
612:
365:
648:
350:
Image Archeology - Old Postcard and Brochure Collection
965:
941:
905:
793:
647:
594:
548:
522:
481:
404:
299:
297:
295:
95:
87:
76:
68:
58:
50:
42:
21:
880:Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center
600:Currently operating amusement parks of California
1097:Educational organizations disestablished in 1942
1082:Educational organizations established in 1925
624:
377:
8:
851:Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab & Aquarium
132:in 1914. They established an attraction in
631:
617:
609:
384:
370:
362:
27:
18:
885:Sea Life Aquarium at Legoland California
1092:Zoos disestablished in the 20th century
291:
514:Wonderland Amusement Park (San Diego)
7:
1067:1942 disestablishments in California
315:"L.A. Scene / The City Then and Now"
556:Busch Gardens (Pasadena / Van Nuys)
212:Other well-known visitors included
14:
1062:1925 establishments in California
313:RASMUSSEN, CECILIA (1992-04-06).
896:Seymour Marine Discovery Center
275:List of defunct amusement parks
827:California Academy of Sciences
571:Japanese Village and Deer Park
447:Marshal Scotty's Playland Park
249:The Postman Always Rings Twice
77:
1:
1087:Zoos established in the 1920s
915:Farm Sanctuary's Animal Acres
709:Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
703:Living Coast Discovery Center
581:Lion Country Safari (Irvine)
956:Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
697:Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
468:The Chutes of San Francisco
33:Charles Gay with four lions
1113:
993:Marineland of the Pacific
929:(Angeles National Forest)
833:California Science Center
815:Birch Aquarium at Scripps
758:San Diego Zoo Safari Park
687:Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary
669:California Science Center
586:Marineland of the Pacific
422:Corriganville Movie Ranch
38:
26:
821:Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
663:California Living Museum
509:Playland (San Francisco)
998:Marine World/Africa USA
809:Aquarium of the Pacific
1057:History of Los Angeles
839:Central Coast Aquarium
530:Lake Dolores Waterpark
91:Charles and Muriel Gay
857:Monterey Bay Aquarium
845:Heal the Bay Aquarium
1077:El Monte, California
1028:34.0689°N 118.0293°W
540:Wild Rivers (Irvine)
186:El Monte High School
118:El Monte, California
63:El Monte, California
1024: /
988:Lion Country Safari
927:Wildlife WayStation
874:Roundhouse Aquarium
803:Aquarium of the Bay
675:Charles Paddock Zoo
657:Big Bear Alpine Zoo
535:Manteca Waterslides
146:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
1052:Zoos in California
1033:34.0689; -118.0293
951:SeaWorld San Diego
943:Animal theme parks
907:Animal sanctuaries
692:Fresno Chaffee Zoo
494:Pacific Ocean Park
473:Woodward's Gardens
437:J's Amusement Park
355:2013-09-15 at the
114:tourist attraction
110:selective breeding
1006:
1005:
978:Griffith Park Zoo
921:Shambala Preserve
876:(Manhattan Beach)
853:(Manhattan Beach)
786:(Fountain Valley)
773:Santa Barbara Zoo
763:San Francisco Zoo
731:Orange County Zoo
606:
605:
566:Griffith Park Zoo
499:Pierpoint Landing
456:Santa's Village (
319:Los Angeles Times
303:Los Angeles Times
218:Eleanor Roosevelt
103:
102:
1104:
1039:
1038:
1036:
1035:
1034:
1029:
1025:
1022:
1021:
1020:
1017:
778:Sequoia Park Zoo
633:
626:
619:
610:
427:Frontier Village
386:
379:
372:
363:
337:
336:
334:
333:
310:
304:
301:
79:
31:
19:
1112:
1111:
1107:
1106:
1105:
1103:
1102:
1101:
1042:
1041:
1032:
1030:
1026:
1023:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1011:
1010:
1009:
1007:
1002:
973:Gay's Lion Farm
961:
937:
933:The Gentle Barn
901:
891:SeaQuest Folsom
870:(Crescent City)
862:Ocean Institute
829:(San Francisco)
805:(San Francisco)
789:
784:The Reptile Zoo
749:(Sonoma County)
736:OstrichLand USA
720:Micke Grove Zoo
715:Los Angeles Zoo
659:(Big Bear Lake)
643:
637:
607:
602:
590:
561:Gay's Lion Farm
544:
518:
477:
452:Neverland Ranch
405:Amusement parks
400:
394:amusement parks
390:
357:Wayback Machine
346:
341:
340:
331:
329:
312:
311:
307:
302:
293:
288:
271:
258:
230:
214:Albert Einstein
201:Numa the lion.
194:
162:Charlie Chaplin
126:
106:Gay's Lion Farm
34:
22:Gay's Lion Farm
17:
12:
11:
5:
1110:
1108:
1100:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1044:
1043:
1004:
1003:
1001:
1000:
995:
990:
985:
983:Jungleland USA
980:
975:
969:
967:
963:
962:
960:
959:
953:
947:
945:
939:
938:
936:
935:
930:
924:
918:
911:
909:
903:
902:
900:
899:
893:
888:
882:
877:
871:
865:
859:
854:
848:
847:(Santa Monica)
842:
836:
830:
824:
818:
812:
806:
799:
797:
791:
790:
788:
787:
781:
775:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
744:
742:Sacramento Zoo
739:
733:
728:
723:
717:
712:
706:
700:
694:
689:
684:
678:
672:
666:
660:
653:
651:
645:
644:
638:
636:
635:
628:
621:
613:
604:
603:
598:
596:
592:
591:
589:
588:
583:
578:
576:Jungleland USA
573:
568:
563:
558:
552:
550:
546:
545:
543:
542:
537:
532:
526:
524:
520:
519:
517:
516:
511:
506:
501:
496:
491:
485:
483:
479:
478:
476:
475:
470:
465:
458:Lake Arrowhead
454:
449:
444:
439:
434:
429:
424:
419:
414:
408:
406:
402:
401:
391:
389:
388:
381:
374:
366:
360:
359:
345:
344:External links
342:
339:
338:
305:
290:
289:
287:
284:
283:
282:
280:Jungleland USA
277:
270:
267:
257:
256:The late years
254:
229:
226:
222:Marie Dressler
193:
190:
138:motion picture
134:MacArthur Park
125:
122:
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
81:
74:
73:
70:
66:
65:
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
44:
40:
39:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1109:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1049:
1047:
1040:
1037:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
970:
968:
964:
957:
954:
952:
949:
948:
946:
944:
940:
934:
931:
928:
925:
922:
919:
916:
913:
912:
910:
908:
904:
897:
894:
892:
889:
886:
883:
881:
878:
875:
872:
869:
866:
863:
860:
858:
855:
852:
849:
846:
843:
841:(Avila Beach)
840:
837:
835:(Los Angeles)
834:
831:
828:
825:
822:
819:
816:
813:
810:
807:
804:
801:
800:
798:
796:
792:
785:
782:
779:
776:
774:
771:
769:
768:Santa Ana Zoo
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
753:San Diego Zoo
751:
748:
745:
743:
740:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:(Palm Desert)
710:
707:
705:(Chula Vista)
704:
701:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
682:
679:
676:
673:
671:(Los Angeles)
670:
667:
665:(Bakersfield)
664:
661:
658:
655:
654:
652:
650:
646:
642:
634:
629:
627:
622:
620:
615:
614:
611:
601:
597:
593:
587:
584:
582:
579:
577:
574:
572:
569:
567:
564:
562:
559:
557:
554:
553:
551:
547:
541:
538:
536:
533:
531:
528:
527:
525:
521:
515:
512:
510:
507:
505:
502:
500:
497:
495:
492:
490:
489:Neptune Beach
487:
486:
484:
482:Seaside parks
480:
474:
471:
469:
466:
463:
462:Scotts Valley
459:
455:
453:
450:
448:
445:
443:
440:
438:
435:
433:
430:
428:
425:
423:
420:
418:
415:
413:
410:
409:
407:
403:
399:
395:
387:
382:
380:
375:
373:
368:
367:
364:
358:
354:
351:
348:
347:
343:
328:
324:
320:
316:
309:
306:
300:
298:
296:
292:
285:
281:
278:
276:
273:
272:
268:
266:
262:
255:
253:
251:
250:
245:
244:James M. Cain
240:
236:
227:
225:
223:
219:
215:
210:
207:
202:
199:
191:
189:
187:
182:
180:
179:Adventureland
176:
171:
169:
168:
163:
159:
155:
151:
148:Studio lions
147:
141:
139:
135:
131:
123:
121:
119:
115:
112:facility and
111:
108:was a public
107:
98:
94:
90:
86:
82:
75:
71:
67:
64:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1008:
972:
966:Defunct zoos
898:(Santa Cruz)
864:(Dana Point)
811:(Long Beach)
677:(Atascadero)
560:
549:Animal parks
412:Beverly Park
330:. Retrieved
318:
308:
263:
259:
247:
231:
228:Lions escape
211:
203:
195:
183:
172:
165:
142:
127:
105:
104:
1072:Former zoos
1031: /
1019:118°01′45″W
868:Ocean World
823:(San Pedro)
747:Safari West
726:Oakland Zoo
683:(San Mateo)
681:CuriOdyssey
523:Water parks
417:Chutes Park
239:Joe Hoffman
235:John Rounan
206:Greta Garbo
175:Walt Disney
130:Los Angeles
124:Early years
99:Charles Gay
51:Date closed
43:Date opened
1046:Categories
1016:34°04′08″N
887:(Carlsbad)
817:(La Jolla)
738:(Buellton)
699:(San Jose)
641:California
432:Idora Park
398:California
332:2019-01-09
286:References
198:Lions Club
167:The Circus
140:industry.
96:Management
80:of animals
958:(Vallejo)
795:Aquariums
442:Luna Park
327:0458-3035
184:In 1925,
83:200 lions
69:Land area
780:(Eureka)
639:Zoos of
595:Also see
504:The Pike
392:Defunct
353:Archived
269:See also
192:Visitors
170:(1928).
59:Location
923:(Acton)
917:(Acton)
72:5 acres
722:(Lodi)
325:
158:Tarzan
154:Jackie
204:When
150:Slats
88:Owner
649:Zoos
323:ISSN
220:and
54:1942
46:1925
396:in
177:'s
164:'s
78:No.
1048::
460:/
321:.
317:.
294:^
252:.
224:.
216:,
632:e
625:t
618:v
464:)
385:e
378:t
371:v
335:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
