Mary Elitch Long was a successful entrepreneur during a time when women had few freedoms in society outside of their families.  Her work paved the way for countless other women who strived to find success in a male dominated world.

Mary Hauck Elitch Long (May 10, 1856 – July 16, 1936) was one of the original owners of Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado and a woman of many firsts during a time when women had very little political or economic power. Not only was she the first woman to own and manage a zoo, but she was also the first woman to own and manage a theater. Never one to stand idly by, Long also authored two children's books. 

Black and white photograph of Mary Elitch Long. Mary is seated with flowers in her hand.

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Plains to Peaks Collective

Mary Elitch Long

Mary was born in Philadelphia in 1856 and by 1863 her family had settled near San José, California.  There she met John Elitch and the two married in 1872 when Mary was just 16 years old. The young couple settled in San Francisco where John managed a restaurant inside a theater. It was during this time that the couple developed a love of theater.  

By 1882 the couple had settled together in Denver and opened a restaurant at 1541 Arapahoe Street. In 1887 John and Mary purchased the 16-acre Chilcott farm in the town of Highland, just West of downtown Denver. Just a short three years later, they opened the gates to Elitch's Zoological Gardens on May 1, 1890.

Poster. At top of poster in circle a side bust view of John Elitch, Jr. Green jacket, white shirt, bow tie under shirt collar.

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Elitch's Zoological Gardens

Tragically, John died less than a year later on March 10, 1891. The young widow did not falter. She quickly assumed management of the park and ran the zoo, the gardens, and the theater.  

While the first year of operations had been financially successful, funds became tight after John’s death and Mary was forced to sell her controlling interest in Elitch's Gardens to a group of investors. Mary managed to hang on to the rest of her interests despite the financial hardships felt by many business owners and operators during the Panic of 1893, a time of economic crisis and mass unemployment in the United States. In 1894, she was able to repurchase the majority stock for $150,000 and regained control of the business.  

Elitch's Gardens newspaper advertisement from the Woman Voter. Mary Elitch is noted as the proprietor.

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Elitch's Gardens Advertisement

Mary became the first woman in the world to own and operate a zoo. As Elitch's was the first zoo established west of Chicago at that time, Mary offered Colorado residents something no other state in the region could. The Elitches were close friends with American businessman P. T. Barnum and it was through him that they were able to buy their first animals, including monkeys, lions, camels, bears and ostriches. One of the bears was famous for dancing a waltz when the band played. Mary used to cruise the Gardens in her ostrich-drawn carriage. 

Mary Elitch Long stands in the bear pit with 3 bears at Elitch Gardens.

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Mary Elitch Long in the bear pit at Elitch Gardens

Mary Elitch was also one of the first women in the United States to own a theater. It is believed that summer stock theater (theater that presents stage productions only in the summer) first started in the U.S. in Denver, at the Elitch Theatre in 1893. In 1896, Edison's Vitascope, an early film projector, was exhibited at the theater showing the first motion picture films in Colorado. 

Built in 1891, the theater was designed by local architects Rudolf Liden and Charles Lee in the rustic “stick” or “shingle” style and featured a two-story open veranda surrounding the two-story octagonal enclosed auditorium. Modifications and additions were made to the theater during the next 25 years. The nationally known theater and stock company were incredibly successful and continued to attract huge stars until it closed in 1991. 

Theatre at Elitch Gardens, Denver, Colorado.

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Theatre at Elitch Gardens, Denver

In 1900 Mary married her business partner, Thomas D. Long. A few years later, the couple added the park’s first roller coaster, a Toboggan Figure 8. They also established greenhouses on the property and operated the Elitch-Long Flower Store, located at Fifteenth and Stout in Denver. It claimed to be the largest wholesale flower establishment in the west. Ultimately the marriage proved to be unsuccessful and they separated after a few years. Long died in an automobile accident in 1920.

Mary had a reputation for being kind and generous. She loved children and instituted a weekly Children’s Day on Tuesdays when additional educational and entertainment programs were added. It was reported that mothers would put their children on the streetcar and tell the driver to let them off at Elitch’s where Mary would look after them herself.

Due to the rise in automobile use, entertainment options increased for Denverites and Elitch’s faced competition and decreased revenue. The property was purchased on April 16, 1916. Through the purchase agreement, Mary negotiated that the park would always retain the Elitch name, that she would be allowed to continue living in her home on the property, and earn $50 a month allowance, as well as the use of two boxes at the theater for her and her friends. New owner John Mulvihill replaced Mary’s old frame cottage with a brick residence where she lived until 1932 when she moved across the street.  

Mary Hauck Elitch Long died on July 16, 1936, after suffering a heart attack.

	
Mary Elitch Long's residence, Elitch's Gardens, Denver, Colorado, surrounded by trees and wrought iron fence; three girls sit on bent cane park bench; women and children are on walkway, some hold parasols and umbrellas.

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The Bungalow, Elitch Garden

Mary was a successful businesswoman who served as a role model for the women of her generation as well as for women today. She successfully managed an amusement park, zoo, gardens, and theater when all odds were against her simply because of her gender. 

Mary was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 1998. The park, which still bears her name, moved to its present downtown location in 1995. Only the theater remains at its original location. The theater has gone through phases of restoration and hopes to welcome the community back soon. 

View of landscaping at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado; flowers read: "Not To See Elitch's Is Not To See Denver."

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