About Benson Park
Hudson’s Benson Park is pleasant enough for a picnic, until you notice what survived from its former life as Benson’s Wild Animal Farm. The attraction opened to the public in 1924, grew into a zoo and amusement park, and closed in 1987. Today the town preserves its paths and open spaces along with some decidedly unexpected leftovers.
Look for the former elephant house, gorilla house, and the Old Woman’s Shoe, reminders of an era when animal acts and storybook structures shared the same grounds. The animals and rides are long gone, so this is a walk through traces of a vanished spectacle, not an operating zoo. The town manages the site as a public park with seasonal daily hours. Staying on marked paths protects the remaining buildings and makes the visit feel like an outdoor scavenger hunt. Few neighborhood parks can offer a playground, a quiet trail, and a former gorilla house in the same afternoon.