There are a pair of these "gingerbread house" entrance structures that date back to the zoo's opening day of July 1st, 1874. The establishment opened 138 years ago and guests still pass these quaint buildings on their way into the zoo, and while such history may be fairly common in European zoos it is a rarity in North American institutions.
There are 2 photos of these structures on page 117 of "New Worlds, New Animals From Menagerie to Zoological Park in the Nineteenth Century" by Hoage and Deiss if any one has a copy. They look as if the buildings were altered some what before the 1900's.
The book it also has a section on the architecture of the National zoo and lots of photos of zoo animals that are now extinct .
An interesting book to read through.
