Era: c. 1930
Location: McCurdy Park
Around 1930, McCurdy Park featured something remarkable: two black bears in a specially built pen.
According to newspaper articles from the era, the park also featured alligators in the park fountain—a surprising bit of Owosso history that seems almost unbelievable today.
In an era before strict regulations on exotic animals, small-town parks across America often featured modest menageries to delight local children and families.