Ralph Mitchell Zoo

Riverside Park and Ralph Mitchell Zoo is a community-focused park and zoo complex along the Verdigris River in Independence. Riverside Park was established in 1914, while Ralph Mitchell Zoo was added in 1925, creating a destination where wildlife exhibits sit alongside a broader collection of recreational and historic features. The zoo's long history is especially visible in Monkey Island, which was constructed in the 1930s and became associated with Miss Able, a rhesus monkey born there who successfully traveled to space aboard a Jupiter rocket in 1959.

The zoo continues to balance its historic structures with ongoing exhibit and facility improvements. Monkey Island remains a defining feature, while the city has identified the Duck Pond, an exotic species building, an education and welcome center, and additional exhibits as part of its long-term improvement plans. The surrounding park adds a miniature train, carousel, playgrounds, and other attractions, making the destination suited to travelers looking for a community-oriented outing that combines a small zoo with recreation and local history.