Retracing our steps to another historic building at the zoo, the Passenger Pigeon Memorial was originally one of seven total. The zoo kept the smaller animals like it's birds in the aviaries. There were a total of seven square stone buildings that had summer cages attached to each building. Each cage measured about 20 feets by 18 feet and had a pagoda style roof. At this time the cost to build these aviaries was $15,000.
The central building of the seven had an original design to be about 27 feet wide and be more elaborate then the rest. The design that influenced the buildings was an Indian style from the Berlin Animal Park. In 1953, the monkeys were moved into the buildings. In 1974, six of the seven buildings were razed to make room for the new exhibit, Gorilla World. The last remaining aviary is now located across from the cat house. In 1977, the building was dedicated to the last passenger pigeon, Martha and the last Carolina Parakeet, Incas. Martha, the Passenger Pigeon and Incas, the Carolina Parakeet were both shipped off to the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. Martha is now on display there but Incas got lost during the trip there.
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