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Jungle Palms Restaurant and Zoo

by Steve
Thursday, October 25, 2007

Last July, an OCThen reader named Cindy asked if anyone remembers a little zoo in Fullerton, featuring a gorilla with a head wound...
Does anyone else remember the little zoo in Fullerton on Raymond and Orangethorpe? I remember going there last around 1970. It was next to the old Laura Scudders plant and the Akua Lodge Motel. They had a chimp that sometimes the zookeeper would let me hold and a big, sad old gorilla. The last time I saw the gorilla he had a head wound that was bleeding. I guess it is just as well it's no longer there as I don't think they took such great care of the animals.

By Cindy
We received the following response from "Eve"...
Re: Old Zoo on Raymond and Orangethorpe
I believe that was the private zoo of the Palms restaurant. Next to the restaurant they had some sad primates stuck in small cages. I think one day the gorilla escaped and went into the restaurant and ate the patron's food. At least, that is what my mom told me when we ate there and I was always hoping to have an escaped gorilla eat my dinner.

By Eve,
The Jungle Palms Restaurant was the creation of Jack Dutton, who also owned a nursery called "Jungle Nursery" in Anaheim. There's an interesting story of how Dutton turned a chimpanzee into a pet, and "humanized" it. Then later, when he could no longer manage the chimp, he had it shot in the head.

Read the sad story about it here...
http://americanathebeautiful.com/the-jungle-anaheim-ca-1959/?PHPSESSID=363e8dfe27d9f27b1e33e3154f1c496a

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2 Comments:

  • I do remember the zoo. My grandpa used to work at the gas station that was next door (since torn down)Don't know how I stumbled across this website....but geez fond memories. I have lived "only" in Fullerton...for 50 years.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at November 04, 2007 5:57 PM  

  • REMEMBER THE PALMS RESTAURANT VERY WELL. AS A YOUNG GIRL, 8-13 YRS. MY PARENTS WERE FRIENDS WITH CLEMA WILIFORD WHO OWNED THE JUNGLE GIFTSHOP ON THE GROUNDS. THEY SOLD MOSTLY TROPICAL CLOTHES & GIFTS. THEY ALSO SOLD BEAUTIFUL LEI'S WHICH LOOKED & FELT LIKE ORCHIDS (MY MOM MADE THESE LEI'S FOR THE PALMS AND NUMEROUS OTHER LOCAL THEME TYPE RESTAURANT'S. WHEN MY MOM WHEN TO VISIT MS. WILIFORD MY BROTHER & I WOULD ROAM THE GROUNDS VISITING THE MONKEYS & GORILLA ALONG WITH THE CHICKENS & PEACOCKS. MOST ALL THE AMIMALS WERE SOCIALIZED & FRIENDLY. THIS WAS A GREAT PLACE WHERE YOU COULD EASLILY GO SPEND A FEW FUN HOURS. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF IT WAS STILL THERE.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at January 07, 2008 2:17 PM  

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