Crowd at Ohio River Arts Festival, held at Mesker Park Zoo. In 1900, George Mesker, owner of Mesker Iron Co., donated land and money for Mesker Park. With more funding and land, a zoo opened in the park in 1928. The zoo is at 1545 Mesker Park Dr., and when opened, was one of the first to use a moat system. At the time of this photograph, the entrance would have been on Bement Ave., the short street off to the right of Mesker Park Dr.