Depressing zoo scenes

As noted elsewhere on this site, animals living at the Grant Park Zoo (formerly also referred to as the Atlanta Zoo, but now known as Zoo Atlanta) used to have a really tough time of it. Seen below is a collection of vintage postcards depicting the sterile and prison-like nature that characterized cages throughout the zoo. A 1987 article about the zoo in the New York Times started this way:

Three years ago the Atlanta Zoo was considered among the 10 worst in the nation. The cages were filthy, their inhabitants were decrepit and macabre tales were told of animals mysteriously dying, being sold off to circuses or victimized by inept and untrained workers.

Holy cow! Under the leadership of director Terry Maple, dramatic improvements were made to the way the zoo ran and the entire operation was greatly revitalized. The postcard folder below, sold to zoo-goers in the 1960s, shows just how dismal the atmosphere at the zoo used to be.