In 1921 the first unit of the Bear Pits was completed. Casts for the bear pits were made from rock formations in the Missouri palisades area near Herculaneum. The use of open moated exhibits was a fairly new concept. There were no bars to obstruct the visitors' view of the animals -- only moats separated the two.
The next major construction project was the Primate House, begun in 1923. It was built in a Spanish style with a large central exhibit and display cages along the walls. By 1926 a chimp show, a concept of George Vierheller's, was being performed in the building. Vierheller started work at the Zoo as secretary of the Board of Control in 1918, became superintendent four years later and director in 1928, a position he held until he retired in 1962.
The Reptile House with a small mammal wing was constructed next door in 1927. The idea of having a building specifically for snakes, lizards, frogs and other amphibians was new, but interest in these creatures seemed to be high enough to warrant the new facility. Previously, the reptiles had been housed in the Ostrich House, a building between the Bird House and what is now Big Cat Country. A popular attraction was the feeding of Blondie, an Indian python who refused to eat. The keepers and Marlin Perkins, curator of reptiles, began to force feed her. At first the procedure was done inside the Reptile House, but later it was moved outdoors to the thrill of the spectators.
In 1929 the Small Mammal Pits were constructed, duplicating the design and construction of the Bear Pits.
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