Does anybody knows more about this second aquarium in New York City ? It was opened in 1876 close to the Centralpark, and it had even beluga whales on display. It seems, it wasn't a big success, so it closed after a couple of years. I need to know, in which year it was closed, probably 1880 ?
Very strange. No one seems to have evidence of a closure date yet 3 people have independently suggested 1882. We do know of one guide from this short lived collection however the guide has no date related information. Regards, Paul M.
I may have the proof you are looking for. The control over The Great New York Aquarium handed over by Charles Reiche & Bros (who were at that time the owners of the aquarium) to Robert Stickney, Frank Melville and John Hamilton. They turned it into an "Imperial Parisian Circus" which opened January 12 1880. Thus one could assume that it may also have been around that time that the aquarium closed. Source: THE AQUARIUM TO BECOME A CIRCUS. - Article - NYTimes.com The guide that zoospud mentioned is something I have been looking for for some time. It was called "The Aquarium Guide" by H. Dorner. Would someone know if this book is available as scanned copy somewhere or if there is an original for sale?
Here is more: The Virtual Dime Museum: The Great New York Aquarium The book referred to in this article can be seen here. PP. 247 and after tell the story of the Great NY Aquarium: http://www.archive.org/stream/sawdustspangless00coupiala#page/viii/mode/2up Oddly, Dr. Dorner isn't mentioned anywhere (that I saw) Also: Read the left most column of this page: Scientific American - Google Books And there is this: http://books.google.com/books?id=sM...page&q="The New York Aquarium" Dorner&f=false And best yet: Archive Viewer | Popular Science These may require a subscription to the New York Times to see- Apparently it was on the corner of Broadway and 35th Street (Not far from where Macy's is today) This mentions "white whales": BURSTING OF A TANK. - DAMAGE TO THE NEW-YORK AQUARIUM THREE MEN BADLY INJURED. WARRANTS SIGNED BY THE CONTROLLER. A PERSECUTED WOMAN. - View Article - NYTimes.com Seems like it opened October 1876 THE NEW-YORK AQUARIUM. - View Article - NYTimes.com An article about obtaining a manatee: FROM FLORIDA IN A TANK. - ARRIVAL OF THE LARGEST SEA-COW THAT EVER WAS CAUGHT. - View Article - NYTimes.com Ain't the internet great?
There is more. First of all the book by H. Dorner looks like this: http://i.imgur.com/VYaue.jpg , but I have been unable to find the content. It is available in some libraries in the US, but I do not live there. Guide to the New York aquarium - Herman C. Dorner - Google Books More information about the aquarium including illustrations: Scribner's Monthly, an illustrated magazine for the people Volume 0013 Issue 5 (March 1877) This is what the aquarium looked like from the outside: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cxRN31abC...A/iN21QjywXdk/s1600/old+new+york+aquarium.jpg Zooplantman: I believe the manatee was never exhibited at the aquarium. It may however have been exhibited at the Central Park Menagerie. Electric eels to the aquarium: ELECTRIC EELS AT THE AQUARIUM. - Article - NYTimes.com Ant-bear to the aquarium: A CURIOSITY AT THE AQUARIUM. - Article - NYTimes.com W.C. Coup and the Reiche brothers who initially were in joint venture on the Great New York Aquarium also started up an aquarium on Coney Island which is sometimes referred to as Coney Island Aquarium or Seaside Aquarium. There is quite a lot of information about this aquarium as well.
And it all practically ended because Reiche wanted to open the aquarium on Sundays and Coup did not. So they settled the issue with the flip of a coin. Coup lost, took the elephants and giraffes (?) that they had jointly owned and hit the road with a new venture. Reiche however knew how to keep animals alive, but did not necessarily know the business end of the aquarium and it faltered.
You are right about the coin toss. I suspect that W.C. Coup was somewhat more religious than Reiche and didn't like the idea of having the aquarium open on Sundays. Actually, Reiche Brothers were one of the most important animal importers at the time and supplied many circuses and zoos with exotic animals. They were also known for their bird imports. Not exactly sure when it was closed down, but I am sure this was a very costly business. Their Coney Island Aquarium was closed partly because it turned into a freak show where they also displayed Siamese twins. This seemed to have been popular entertainment at the time, but the authorities didn't like it. Reiche Brothers created a circus joint venture with Van Amburgh in 1885.
@Gast Do you have a little bit more information about this Seaside Aquarium ? Was it before or after the Greater New York Aquarium ? It is amazing to know, New York has had several Aquariums before the present one. Wasn't there not also an Aquarium which was founded by P.T Barnum ?
It was more or less at the same time. It started in 1878 and ended 1887. You can read more about it here: "Coney Island is a Jonah" and this is what it looked like: http://i.imgur.com/fkRM1.jpg P.T. Barnum was more into circuses I think. He ran some kind of museum I think which featured an aquarium. Doubt it was as grand at the Great New York Aquarium. I'm no expert on Barnum.
@Zooplantman You are welcome. Just learned that you were 'almost' right about the manatee. They brought in a manatee around 1882-1883 which was displayed at the aquarium (must have been at Coney Island) for a couple of months. That particular manatee was from Brazil died 2 months later because it wouldn't eat any locally available food. They even sold a whale which was exported to Europe from Coney Island. No idea if the whale survived. If anyone knows where to find the book by H. Dorner called "Guide to the New York Aquarium" from 1877, please let me know.
I found an article I am curious about, but unfortunately I can't access it as it seems to only be available from libraries in the US or if one has a US library card: New York Aquarium. Reception, Tuesday Evening, October 10th, 1876. W.C. Coup & Richie & Bro. Menu ... Culinary Artists, G.E. Greene & Sons. The above Bill of Fare Furnished by U.S. Fish Commission | New York Public Library | BiblioCommons Is someone able to access the "Electronic version" to the left and can download the content for me?
