The girls at the Central Park Zoo.  Since the 1860's, animals could be found at Fifth Avenue and 64th Street in Central Park. At first, the collection was simply a growing group of donated animals - from 72 "white swans" to a black bear cub. In 1864, the State Legislature authorized the city Parks Commission to establish a zoo, and the more formal Central Park Menagerie was established.  Nowadays, they're trying to shed the term "Zoo" for the more PC "Wildlife Center".