The Spooky Photos Of The Abandoned Hallie’s Zoo In Arkansas Are Nearly Unbearable
Hallie’s Zoo was a beloved Arkansas gem during the 60s and 70s but has completely fallen from memory in the present time. The zoo hasn’t been forgotten by everyone however! Let’s scroll through the empty cages and see what’s become of this buried treasure.
This tour is brought to us by our friends over at AbandonedAR. They travel to forgotten locations all over the state to preserve these places through historic documentation.
For 12 short years Hallie's Zoo was a star Arkansas attraction.
It didn't quite have the fame like Dogpatch but the zoo did have bragging rights. In addition to the variety of animals the zoo also boasted the tallest miniature train tracks in the world! Hallie Orman opened the zoo in 1967 but due to a new owner and bad luck in late 70s, the zoo was forced to close.
The zoo had lions, tigers, bears, and other creatures as well. During Orman's ownership the zoo flourished but the second owner had quite a few issues, one of the being a lion.
In 1979 the cage door to the lion enclose was left open. The lion escaped and prowled nearby farms for two weeks without getting caught! No one was injured and the lion did return to be fed but it did lead to the shutdown of the zoo. All of the animal residents were sent to live in other zoos around the country.
The zoo quickly dilapidated and was reclaimed by nature.
This zoo was more than just a couple of cages. The nearly 6,000 acres were used for the zoo! It had animals, the train, a restaurant, a large ice cream shop, and gift shop too.
After the zoo's closure it stayed abandoned for a couple of years before a restaurant tried to bring new business to the property. It wasn't successful and lead to the zoo staying empty for decades.
Although nearly everything had been looted from the property (including some of the train track even) the zoo eventually found a new owner in 2010.
Rick Montgomery of Conway purchased the property to use as a church. Montgomery wanted to keep the zoo's original integrity so all of the buildings/enclosures have been kept and restored. The cages are now used as backdrops for different events and plays. During the holidays they're lit up, too!
It's rather unexpected to have a zoo turn into a church but we're happy this treasured gem was able to be revitalized.
It's unfortunate that Hallie's Zoo couldn't stay open longer but the Zoo Church Village is a welcomed revision. For more photos of the pre-church zoo head over to AbandonedAR. If you'd like more information on the church, follow their Facebook Page.
Do you have memories of Hallie’s Zoo? Reminisce with us in the comments below!
Oddly enough this zoo isn’t far from a still-working elephant sanctuary. Who would guess so many wild animals would reside in central Arkansas? You can also see lions, tigers, and bears at this big cat refuge, too.
Address: 12173 Hwy 65 S, Bee Branch, AR 72013, USA
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Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. in Library Science. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite.
