For generations of children and families, Dorney Park near Allentown, Pennsylvania, wasn’t just a place for thrilling rides and summer picnics—it was also a place where lions roared, kangaroos bounced, monkeys chattered, and sea lions basked poolside. From its humble beginnings as a family-friendly amusement and fishing resort in the early 20th century, Dorney Park grew into a full-fledged entertainment destination, and nestled in its green acres was a surprisingly ambitious and beloved attraction: the Dorney Park Zoo, later known as Zoorama.
Early Animal Exhibits (Pre-Zoorama Era)
Dorney Park’s relationship with animals stretched back as far as the 1920s. A 1926 brochure advertised a small zoo featuring monkeys, peacocks, pheasants, quail, and even a herd of eight fallow deer brought in from the Poconos. The deer quickly made local headlines when they escaped in 1937, causing a stir in nearby neighborhoods and sparking a deer-hunt through Allentown and beyond.
Over time, the park’s menagerie expanded. By the 1940s, Chinese ducks, Maggie the bear, raccoons, coyotes, and other animals were featured. Park owner Robert Plarr took pride in creating an environment that, though caged, mimicked natural habitats with trees and shrubs.
Birth of Zoorama (1963)
Long before Zoorama, Dorney Park was best known for its massive swimming pool, which opened in 1901 and was, at the time, the largest inland pool in the United States. Dug as a large pit beside Cedar Creek, it quickly became a centerpiece of early 20th-century recreation in the Lehigh Valley.
Below: Dorney Park Swimming Pool.
By 1961, however, evolving health regulations prompted the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to require costly upgrades. Rather than invest in the extensive renovations, the park made the decision to close the pool after Labor Day that year—paving the way for a dramatic transformation of the area.
As part of Dorney Park’s modernization, the iconic pool and its original 63-year-old wooden bathhouse were repurposed into a brand-new attraction. One half of the pool was converted into a sea lion habitat, while the other half became a gentle, whale-themed boat ride that quickly became a hit with families. The bathhouse itself was transformed into animal enclosures, forming the core of what would soon be known as Zoorama—a lively blend of animal encounters and aquatic-themed fun.
In 1963, under the direction of brothers Ralph and Bob Deitch, Dorney Park unveiled Zoorama, a vibrant new zoo attraction. It featured an impressive collection of animals, including a lion, Bengal tiger, leopard, jaguar, ape, bears, chimpanzees, baboons, monkeys, snakes, peacocks, goats, prairie dogs, jungle birds, porcupines, a kangaroo, and dozens of rabbits. Among the most popular residents were Hepsi and Pepsi, two seals known for their heat tolerance, famously delivered atop a bed of ice in the back of a truck. Guests enjoyed hands-on experiences like feeding goats and rabbits, or escaping the summer heat beside the lively seal pool.
At the heart of it all stood the repurposed bathhouse—a quiet remnant of the park’s past that, before long, would become the setting for one of Dorney Park’s most dramatic moments.
Below: Dorney Park visitor’s map – Zoorama on right. The Dorney Park of the 1970s still was settled along Dorney Park Road, with relatively little of the park on the top of the hill. Zoorama was a popular attraction at the time, along with the sea lions and whale boats.
Below: Aerial View of Dorney Park – Left to Right: Zoorama, Whale Boats, and the Seal Pool.
The 1964 Fire: Tragedy at Zoorama
On August 15, 1964, tragedy struck. A fire broke out in the early morning, likely sparked in the upstairs living quarters of Bob Deitch. Flames tore through the wooden Zoorama structure, reaching 50 feet into the air, drawing crowds and jamming nearby Route 222. Nine fire companies and over 100 firefighters battled the blaze.
Thanks to the bravery and quick action of park workers and firefighters—who used chains and even a railroad tie to break through walls—most of the animals were saved. Mobile cages were dragged to safety, though sadly, two monkeys and several turtles perished.
Among the rescued were lions, leopards, chimps, bears, porcupines, and even a stoic hippo who watched the chaos from his pool with seeming indifference. The kangaroo had to be chased down after leaping into nearby Cedar Creek. Andrew Posivak, a driver-salesman for Coca-Cola Bottling Co., lost the seat of his pants to one of the chimps when he got too close to one of the cages while trying to remove them from the building. One girl returned that evening just to ensure her Easter rabbit, donated to the zoo, had survived—it had.
The fire caused an estimated $40,000 in damage and gutted much of the structure. But Zoorama rebounded and reopened the following season, thanks to the determination of the Deitch family and the park’s support.
A Shifting Legacy
Zoorama was rebuilt and reopened the following season, continuing to operate through the 1970s and into the early ’80s. But as public attitudes toward animal welfare shifted and the zoo industry moved toward conservation and larger, more naturalistic enclosures, Dorney Park’s zoo began to feel outdated.
By 1983, the zoo quietly closed. As former park owner Robert F. Otto reflected, “Animals are treated with such reverence that it’s a good sign. Monkeys seem rarely interested in cages.” What once entertained and educated now seemed restrictive, and Dorney Park pivoted its focus entirely toward rides and attractions.
Remembering Zoorama
Though gone for over four decades, memories of Zoorama still live in the hearts of those who wandered through its shady paths and peered into the eyes of wild creatures. For many, Dorney Park wasn’t just about roller coasters and log flumes—it was about seeing seals splash, hearing a lion roar, and maybe, just maybe, losing a sandwich to a sneaky chimp.
In an era before wildlife documentaries streamed on demand, Zoorama brought the wild to the heart of Pennsylvania and offered unforgettable encounters, both joyful and heartbreaking. As Dorney Park celebrates its 130th anniversary, the legacy of its zoo—the animals, the heroism, the laughter, and even the tragedy—remains an indelible part of its story.
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