The Zoo, Casino and Caretaker’s Quarters

The next stop on the virtual tour is the zoo, casino and caretaker’s quarters on Mount Lowe.

In the foreground can be seen the zoo, cages where squirrels, bobcats, hawks, owls, foxes, and even a bear could be found. Directly behind it, the rock structure was the power plant where the electric motor and generating equipment were kept. Behind that, the top of the Casino can be seen, where on the top floor the sleeping quarters for the employees were. On the first floor of the Casino was a social hall, not the gambling establishment the name implied.

Another view from the front of the zoo cages with Echo Mountain House in the background.

Lead image: Yet another view with the beginning of the Alpine Division heading off to Crystal Springs and the octagonal bear pit in the lower right of the image. The road going up to the back of Echo Mountain House was for transporting passenger from there and the Chalet to the Observatory and for rides.

One Comment on “The Zoo, Casino and Caretaker’s Quarters”

  1. You have incorrect information on the Casino. The building you are talking about is the 1895 power plant. The engine and generator foundations are still there. The Casino was not built until about 1900 and stood across the tracks in the empty area in your second photograph. If you look on page 8 of “Mt. Lowe Power”, there is a sketch of Echo Mt. based on historical and archeological data. As the book also points out the roof of the casino blew off in a wind storm and landed on the 1895 and 1898 power plants and the shorting wires started a fire that burned all structures on the mountain down.

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