Colorado History: The Story of Grand Junction’s ‘Leo the Lion’

Colorado History: The Story of Grand Junction’s ‘Leo the Lion’

Robert Grant / Canva

If you've been to Las Colonias Park or the Amphitheater lately, you've probably seen the giant lion "statue" that adorns the park near the Riverfront Trail. That's a monument to Grand Junction's infamous Leo the Lion.

Once upon a time, Grand Junction's Lincoln Park was home to a zoo that housed bears, lions, and a monkey or two. The zoo closed sometime around 1970, but its memories remain.

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Grand Junction's Leo the Lion: Part One

The Lincoln Park Zoo was home to two different Leo the Lions. The first, call the zoo home from 1936 to 1954. Sadly, the original Leo's story has a horrifying ending.

Leo came to Grand Junction after being traded for five monkeys. He quickly became the most beloved animal at the zoo.

Leo (the First) was found dead in his cage on Friday, February 5 1954 from a .22-caliber bullet wound. He was shot in the head between the nose and the mouth and once in the rear of his body.

Read More: Colorado History: The Story Behind Grand Junction's Sugar Beet Factory

Who did this heinous crime? No one knows, even after 70 years.

This wasn't the first time Leo was attacked by an unknown gunman. In 1952, someone shot Leo, but he miraculously survived his wounds.

One suspicion behind Leo's death is his nightly howls that would keep residents awake throughout the night. However, no one knows the real reason behind this heinous crime.

Grand Junction's Leo the Lion: Part Two

Shortly after Leo's death, the Grand Junction Lions Club and the Grand Junction Humane Society purchased a mother lion and two cubs. Of the two cubs was the new Leo.

With concerns for the safety of the new lioness and her cubs, the Lions Club asked for a more secure lion's cage and a nightwatchman to watch over the animals. The Grand Junction city council considered closing the zoo at the time but changed its mind due to public outcry.

Leo the Lion (the second) would live his life at the Grand Junction Zoo. He sadly passed in 1969 from cancer that was once believed to be a toothache.

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In 1969, the city council closed the Lincoln Park Zoo, rehoming the remaining animals to a zoo in Delta, Colo. Residents were distraught with the closing.

Historic Photos from the Person Archive of Grand Junction's Robert Grant

The gallery below consists of 30 images lifted from negatives belonging to late Daily Sentinel photographer Robert Grant. For the purpose of this gallery, a number of scans were selected completely at random. From that batch of 37 scans, seven of the images featured content not suitable for this gallery. One image removed from this collection featured the bodies of three Grand Junction area teens killed in a jeep crash in Unaweep Canyon. Another image removed involved emergency personnel investigating the death of a transient in a freight car at the Grand Junction railroad yards.

Gallery Credit: Waylon Jordan

Historic Photos of Grand Junction Business Signs from the 40s + 50s

Take a look at business signs from the Grand Junction area through the lens of photographer Robert Grant.

Gallery Credit: Waylon Jordan

More Historic Photos of Grand Junction Residents Enjoying Life

A number of Robert Grant's negatives were recently uncovered. From those, a handful of random images were selected. These images feature Western Colorado residents simply having fun. Images include balloon rallies, boating, tubing, air shows, and a round or two of golf. These images date back to the 1960s, 70s, and early 80s.

These negatives came from the "negative cabinet" Robert Grant left behind. These are the shots that, shall we say, didn't make the cut. They didn't wind up in the Daily Sentinel or in Bob's calendars. Put simply, the file cabinet represents what journalists call "File 13."

With any of the Robert Grant galleries we publish, please look closely. If you've been around the valley for long, you're bound to recognize someone... maybe even photos of you.

Gallery Credit: Waylon Jordan

Filed Under: Colorado History, Grand Junction History
Categories: Colorado News, Colorado Local