Southwick's Zoo

Mendon, Massachusetts seems like an unlikely location for New England's largest zoo. "Truth is, happenstance had a lot to do with why Southwick's Zoo even exists," says Justine Brewer, President of the family-run business.

"This was a dairy farm," she says. "But back in the 1930s and 40s - those were tough times trying to hold on to the farm and earn a living solely off the land. We kept a herd of cows, made milk deliveries, and grew vegetables."

Justine's Grandfather, Justin F. Southwick, had a keen interest in "fancy poultry," which was the seed for today's animal park. He acquired a number of different breeds and became quite accomplished at raising them. When he started taking them to competitions all over the country, he built an extensive network of friends that were in the livestock business. Justine's Father, Justin A. Southwick joined his father in the business and became one of the world's leading authorities on migratory water fowl.

Soon, Justin A. was buying and selling all kinds of exotic animals from around the world. Typical customers for the animals were municipal zoos. But with zoos often short on cash, Justin would trade one species for another, a bird for a lion or a swan for a bear cub, hoping at some point to find a cash customer.

Over time, the trading customers continued to be far more common than cash customers and the number of exotic animals on the farm grew quite large. "My father really loved the birds, especially the migratory waterfowl," says Justine. "He had a hard time reselling them, so we ended up with quite a collection."

By the middle 1950's, folks from around the Blackstone Valley began to hear about the "animal farm" in Mendon, and would simply stop by to see the animals. The Southwick's began leaving out a donation box to help support the care and feeding of the animals. This led, In 1963, To the official opening to the public of Southwick's Wild Animal Farm.

Today, Southwick's Zoo is home to hundreds of rare and endangered animals from around the world. "It's really an ideal setting for a zoo," says Justine. "We're not in a city. It's quiet. We have the gently rolling hills and wetlands. It's perfect."

Justine and five of her children run the zoo. Betsey is founder and President of EARTH Limited, the non-profit educational arm of the zoo. Cindy is Director of Operations, Robert and David are in charge of the physical plant and equipment, and Dr. Peter Brewer is the zoo's veterinarian.

For those who grew up with school trips and weekend summer excursions to the Southwick Animal Farm, the investment the Brewer family has made in the zoo is striking. "I keep telling people we are much more than a zoo," says Justine. "We have shows about the animals, Kiddie Rides, Train Rides and a Playpark made from all recycled materials. We have nature trails and the deer park is fully accessible to our visitors. Plus, I think it's a beautiful place. We put a lot of time and effort into landscaping and flowers, too."

The goal of Southwick's is two-fold; maintain a world-class zoological collection for visitors to enjoy, and help people understand and respect the role animals play in our world. EARTH Limited, (Environmental Awareness of Resources and Threatened Habitats) is a nonprofit organization located at Southwick's Zoo dedicated to educating people about animal ecology, endangered species, environmental issues, and threatened habitats.

From May until September, Earth Limited's ECO-education center at Southwick's offers unique programs for all ages through the use of live animal presentations and hands-on activities. From October through April, the "Zoomobile" brings animal education programs to schools, as well as elder-care and health-care facilities.

"Our programs are designed to help children and adults understand how to treat animals and the habitats in which they live," says EARTH president Betsey Brewer. "We are all stewards of our planet. The more we know, the more likely we are to take good care of the world in which we live."

The activities of EARTH limited are supported by its members, the Friends of EARTH, and by financial contributions from corporations and foundations.

"Our family has been on this property since 1803," says Justine. "It's a gift, and we are going to do everything we can to take good care of it."