Ever since financier and philanthropist Jeptha Wade donated his University Circle plot and animals in 1882, the Cleveland Zoo has been a center for fun and learning. When the city moved the zoo to its current location in the early 1900s, it steadily grew; the expansion continued when Cleveland Metroparks took over management in the mid '70s.
For more than half a century, the zoo's elephants have been a much-loved attraction, long housed behind the Viktor Schreckengost–designed mammoth and mastodon mural of the pachyderm building. This month, the zoo opened the doors on its $25 million African Elephant Crossing exhibit, already attracting thousands of visitors. Artist Karen Sandstrom was among them, and captures the sense of wonder and excitement that makes a trip to the zoo a colorful adventure for all ages.
