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Lords Park

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When the world was younger, and I was still an old soul, I lost myself at a small but memorable farm zoo in Elgin, Illinois. This was years before digital cameras, the internet, and blogging. I remembered bison and a pond filled with geese and ducks.

Many years later, here I am again at Lords Park Zoo. Let’s run it back.

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Lords Park Zoo is famous for its bison, Buffy (background) and Takoda (foreground).
Buffy, a yearling, arrived in early June 2024.
Asian Forest Scorpion protects her babies sheltered on her back.
Chi-Town Exotics, LLC at Lords Park Zoo offered a free animal show today that wowed the crowd.
Kids were thrilled by seeing (and petting) exotic animals up close.
Not a dove but related to a pigeon, this beautiful bird was born to show.
Blue-and-yellow macaw tempted to turn the pop-up zoo into a circus.
This tortoise sharked everyone with its slow reputation as it made a break for it.
The gentle capybara drew the most “aaawwws.”
Little chinchilla wasn’t so small, but big enough for sweet petting hands.
Lords Park Zoo began in 1895 with the arrival of two black bears, Jack and Juno.
The sweltering summer morning was tempered by playful piglets making a splash.
And when it’s this hot and humid, there’s no better time for a little butt biting.
Alpaca dip a toe in the water before a quick spritz.
With all that wool, the barn provides a cool retreat.
Good fences make good neighbors at the farm.
The farm is bright and well-kept, with all the animals enjoying the happy environment.
Deer and elk live in the large sanctuary habitats.
Elgin Public Museum stands at the entrance to Lords Park.
A wide variety of historic specimens, artifacts, and documents fill the impressive wings.
The extinct Irish Deer boasted a set of massive antlers spanning 12 feet, and weighing up to 88 pounds.
The halls are dense with historic local specimens and new interactive exhibits.
The new scenic dioramas upstairs are immersive and educational.
Test your knowledge and learn something new.

Well, sheeeeeeep…my memory was good; and, I added new memories with Lisa and my mom. Everything was in its right place, including me. There were updates and enhancements, and remarkable preservation of the old that was new to me years ago. If I ever have the chance to visit Lords Park again, I might catch up with that tortoise who has years and miles to go.

To learn more and plan your visit to Lords Park, click Lords Park

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28 thoughts on “Lords Park”

  3. I was surprised the park and zoo were free to the public and the museum only charged a small fee. Perfect for families and anyone looking to spend a fun day outside, enjoy the animals and learn some fascinating facts about the park’s history.

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  6. WoW !!! How have I never heard of this place? It looks way nicer and better than Lincoln Park and Brookfield. Plus who can even afford Brookfield anymore? This looks wonderful, and I love the pictures. I can feel the peace and nostalgia in your words. So glad you got to go back and make new memories with Lisa and your mom. Lords Park Zoo just made my must-visit list ….

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    1. Hi, Willie! So good to hear from you. I hope all is well. Yes, the big zoos are like major themed amusement parks when it comes to prices. Sometimes the small places help us return to a feel-good experience for families and the kid in us all. Please be well and enjoy the final weeks of summer! 🙏

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  8. Bisons – they look both frightening and cuddly at the same time! Snakes and scorpions, however, are a different story 🙈. It doesn’t happen often that one is still impressed by a place that you visited years ago and it’s great that you enjoyed this outing again! Beautiful photos of beautiful animals!

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  9. Thank you for subscribing to me. I am happy. How are you doing? What are you doing? What do you do during the weekdays? What do you do during the weekends? Talk to you later. Be safe.

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