Vernon N. Kisling discussed the topic of why Philadelphia should be considered America's "first" zoo in the 1997 edition of The Bartlett Society's Journal. In this he said that c.1716 the first exotic species were exhibited in the U.S.; circa 1780s there were small multi-species menageries and in the early 1800s there were larger travelling menageries. He considered that the distinction in the meaning of the words "menagerie" and "zoological park/zoological garden" in the U.S. is contrary to the use of the terms in Europe. So, in the U.S., a menagerie refers to a poor and improperly managed collection, whilst a zoological park was professional and well-managed. ( In Europe, for example, the Menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes, while not called a Zoological Park, would have been considered a professional and well-managed collection). Philadelphia's 1859 charter indicates that this was to be a professional and well-managed collection, but their zoological park did not open until 1874 and, in the interim period, menageries - as those listed earlier in this thread - opened, although they did not develop into zoological parks/gardens until later. Kisling succinctly summarised by saying that "the Philadelphia Zoological Garden was the first U.S. zoo, but not necessarily the oldest".
