In many ways, Cosley Zoo is no big deal–and that’s exactly its charm.
The small facility just northwest of downtown Wheaton features domestic farm animals and native Illinois wildlife, and can easily be walked in an hour or so.
“It’s nice because we are small,” said Sue Wahlgren, assistant manager. “When you go to a larger zoo, it’s a big thing, getting everything packed up. Here, you just throw the kids in the car, go out for an hour and go back home.”
Plus, admission is free, making the zoo, 1356 Gary Ave., a perfect starting point for families looking for a day’s worth of bargains.
Cosley offers an intimate setting. While it is not a petting zoo in the true sense of the word, children may pet farm animals through fences, including horses, cows, goats, sheep and chickens. The zoo is part of the Wheaton Park District and has a commitment to community education, particularly in the area of native wildlife.
Native animals
Housed at the zoo are coyote, foxes, raccoons, deer, birds of prey, ducks, reptiles and insects, all of which are indigenous to Illinois. The animals came to the zoo because they were injured or have some condition that would prevent them from surviving in the wild.
The zoo provides the animals a home and in return, they offer the public an education.
“Our message is no different from Brookfield [Zoo]. We teach about animals and conservation, but we focus on animals that are more relevant to people in this state,” Wahlgren said. “We teach how they affect our environment and how we affect theirs.”
A number of special events are held at Cosley Zoo. Some, like Shadow a Zookeeper Day and Halloween Spooktacular Eve, are open to members only. Membership includes free or reduced admission and other discounts at about 150 zoos in the country.
Wild on the Farm Day on June 15 is open to the public. Sheep shearing, falconry and a craft exhibit are among the offerings.
Continuing with the animal theme, head to the Wheaton College campus for a peek at a geological marvel.
Mastodon display
Hidden away in the Deicke Exhibit Hall in the Armerding Science Building, 520 E. Kenilworth, is the Perry Mastodon, a 16-foot long, 9-foot tall elephant-like mammal that has been reconstructed to show the skeleton on one side and a body on the other. The result is an awesome display that slowly rotates in the atrium with the push of a button and is accompanied by a recorded story.
The American mastodon lived along the southern shore of the Great Lakes region about 12,000 years ago. According to the Wheaton College geology department, one of these mammals broke its leg and died in the east branch of the DuPage River about 11,000 years ago.
It remained a secret until Judge Joseph Sam Perry discovered a large bone in his back yard while excavating for a pond. Wheaton College geology professors and students, with help from the Field Museum, uncovered most of the bones of the mastodon.
“For most of these kinds of discoveries, it was fairly complete,” said Stephen Moshier, associate professor of geology at Wheaton College. “It was a particularly unusual case.”
The result has become a favorite attraction of college students and Wheaton natives, though visits from school and scouting groups have carried the mastodon’s story to nearby suburbs.
Thanks to Perry’s donation, the skeleton will likely remain a permanent fixture at Wheaton College, Moshier said.
Pint-size popcorn site
Heading toward downtown Wheaton, it may be a good time to stop for sustenance and an interesting picture or two at the Popcorn Store, at 111 1/4 W. Front St. The unusual address makes sense upon entering the store, which is easy to miss. Look for the red and white awning over the door.
Step inside to what is essentially an enclosed alley. Actually, the store is not as wide as a typical alley–just 5 feet. Sixty feet in length, there’s enough room for a selection of candies, a counter where orders are taken, the old-fashioned popcorn popper and a stash of supplies.
Sitting in the middle is Bill Wakefield, who has owned the store for 25 years and is a Wheaton fixture himself.
“Bill knows everyone in town,” said Steve Whitmer, a regular who visits the store frequently with his 2-year-old daughter, Madison.
“It’s the best store in Wheaton,” said Whitmer. “I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid. I come for the popcorn. When I’m here, I get some for my dad, and when he’s here, he gets some for me.”
Wakefield is used to answering questions about the building’s unusual size, including the one most often posed by first-time visitors.
“No, I’m not claustrophobic,” Wakefield said, even though he often puts in 70-hour weeks.
Though owners have changed over the years, the merchandise has not. Originally called the In-Between Store when it opened in 1921, it has always been a place to buy popcorn and candy. Even the recipe has remained the same. White popcorn is cooked in an old-fashioned, hand-cranked popcorn machine and sold by the bag. Prices range from 75 cents for a small bag to $8 for a party-size bag. Candy, from suckers to licorice to gum balls, is sold by the piece.
It’s a good place to take a picture or mingle with the crowds, which flock to the store on summer nights, Wakefield said.
Model train village
Just a two-block walk from the Popcorn Store is the DuPage County Historical Museum, 102 E. Wesley St., a place that encourages hands-on learning and offers a treat for train enthusiasts.
On the lower level of the building is the Train Depot, three rooms of model trains that run on 2,000 feet of track throughout a fictionalized DuPage County. Initially overwhelming, visitors can gradually pick out familiar sites: the old county courthouse, the museum itself, Deicke Optical. And then there are some surprises: Superman coming out of a phone booth, the Batmobile, a haunted house, and the recently added Hogwarts train, of “Harry Potter” fame.
The entire train village is the work of the DuPage Society of Model Engineers, a group of volunteer hobbyists who constructed and set up the display when the museum opened in 1967. Members have added to and changed the scene as times dictated.
Visitors can view the village from behind glass windows anytime the museum is open. But try to plan a trip when the trains run, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on the third Saturday of the month. On those days, and the occasional Sunday afternoon, the lower level is packed with children and adults, all vying for the best spot from which to see three, four, even five trains running at a time.
“At the end of the day, we have handprints all over the windows. We have to do crowd control sometimes, it’s so popular,” said Mary Johnson, educator at the museum.
Devoted train enthusiast
Almost always in the thick of things is Bill Stroner, a retired dentist and professor who was among the first members of the DuPage Society of Model Engineers. Stroner visits the museum six days a week, tinkering, repairing, and sometimes just playing. He’s often the man behind the controls.
“I think there’s something fascinating about trains,” said Stroner. “I’ve had them since I was 2 years old. They’re just a wonderful hunk of machinery.”
Other exhibits at the museum include Made to Measure, which allows children to experiment with different types of measurements; Horsing Around in DuPage County, a tribute to the area’s equestrian history; and a Family Sitting Area, which preserves family life in 1800s DuPage County.
The exhibits encourage interaction. Plan on spending an hour to see the entire museum and more time if visiting when the trains run.
THE TOUR
Cosley Zoo: 1356 Gary Ave. (at Jewel Road). Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily through March 31, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning April 1. Admission free. Free parking. 630-665-5534.
Perry Mastodon: Edwin F. Deicke Exhibit Hall, Armerding Science Building, 520 E. Kenilworth Ave., Wheaton College. Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. No fee. Free parking. 630-752-5063.
The Popcorn Store: 1111/4 W. Front St. Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sundays. Limited free parking downtown. 630-690-7712.
DuPage County Historical Museum: 102 E. Wesley St. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission free. Limited free parking downtown. 630-682-7343.
Time: 3 to 4 hours.
Total cost: 75 cents for popcorn.
RESTAURANTS
Under $10: Egg-Lectic Cafe, 145 N. Hale St., 630-690-9001, breakfast and lunch only.
Under $20: Cafe Wheaton, 12 W. Front St., 630-668-8866, lined with portraits of town mayors; Emilio’s Tapas, 230 W. Front St., 630-653-7177, for big and small Spanish meals.
Splurge: Annie’s Crepes, 211 W. Front St., 630-462-0898, French fare with imported wines to match.
TIPS
Rainy Day: Substitute the Billy Graham Center Museum, 630-752-5157, for the zoo.
Run for the Animals: This 5K and 10K race courses through downtown Wheaton on June 1 (this date as published has been corrected in this text) and benefits the Cosley Zoo. For details, call the zoo, 630-665-5534.
Photo ops: The fountain at Main and Front Streets; Adams Park at Main and Wesley Streets; inside the Popcorn Store (flash needed).
ANOTHER DAY
Cantigny: 1S151 Winfield Rd., 630-260-8169. Count on at least two hours to appreciate the grounds and the World War II museum.
Billy Graham Center Museum: 500 E. College Ave., 630-752-5157. Spend an hour exploring a visual history of the growth of evangelism in the United States.
Wheaton Public Library, 225 N. Cross St., 630-668-1374. Largest business section in DuPage County and expanded children’s section.
