Catskill Game Farm facts for kids
Entrance sign in 2006
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| Date opened | 1933 |
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| Date closed | 2006 |
| Location | Catskill, New York, U.S. |
| Land area | 914 acres (370 ha) |
| No. of animals | 2,000 (2006) |
| No. of species | 150 (2006) |
The Catskill Game Farm was a special place in Catskill, New York. It was a family-owned petting zoo that welcomed visitors for many years. The Game Farm was open from 1933 until it closed its doors for good on October 9, 2006. That means it was open for 73 years!
After it closed, new owners bought the land in 2012. They have turned the old giraffe barn into a hotel. This new hotel opened in October 2019, after a lot of work to make it new again.
The Story of Catskill Game Farm
The Catskill Game Farm first opened in 1933. It was started by Roland Lindemann. Later, in 1989, his daughter Kathie Schulz took over the zoo. In August 2006, the zoo announced it would close on October 9th. This was because fewer people were visiting. The zoo was most popular in the 1960s.
When it first opened, the Game Farm only had a few animals. These included deer, donkeys, and sheep. In 1958, something big happened. The United States Department of Agriculture officially called Catskill Game Farm a zoo. It was the first private zoo to get this special recognition.
This allowed the zoo to get more exciting animals from all over the world. By the time it closed, the Game Farm was home to about 2,000 animals. These animals belonged to over 150 different types of species.
The zoo property was very large, covering more than 914 acres. Most of this land was used to help animals have babies. These baby animals were then sent to other zoos around the world. Only about 136 acres were open for people to visit. You could only visit during the summer and autumn months.
Meet April the Giraffe
One famous animal born at the Catskill Game Farm was a giraffe named April. She was born there in 2002.
When the Catskill Game Farm closed in 2006, April moved to a new home. First, she went to Adirondack Animal Land in New York. Then, in 2015, she moved to Animal Adventure Park. This is where she lives today.
April became super famous around the world in 2002. This happened when a live video of her pregnancy and birth was shared online. Lots of people watched her story unfold!
What Happened to the Old Game Farm?
In 2012, Ben and Cathy Ballone bought the old Catskill Game Farm property. They named their new project "The Old Game Farm." Their goal is to make the site a fun family place again. They plan to add a B&B, a campground, and an RV resort. They also want to bring some animals back.
The new owners have turned the old giraffe barn into a hotel. This barn was once home to many generations of giraffes, including April. The hotel, called The Inn, opened on October 1, 2019. It looks very different after a lot of work.
The Inn has five guest rooms where people can stay. It also offers four campsites for those who prefer to camp. Inside the inn, you can see cool things that tell the story of the old Catskill Game Farm.
