Portfolio > Nashvillians of Note

Margaret Croft, 1889-1974, Elise Croft, 1894-1985
The Croft sisters, Margaret and Elise, are responsible for the Nashville Zoo’s current location on 200 beautiful acres of land preserved within our growing city. The sisters began their life at Grassmere Farm, in their historic family home. Built in 1810, this historic structure still stands on the Zoo’s property. The sisters willed their land to the Children’s Museum of Nashville under the condition that it be retained as a “nature study center to educate Nashville’s citizens about animals and the environment.” After the sisters’ passing, the museum opened Grassmere Wildlife Park on the property, which closed in 1990. Grassmere was then taken over by the city of Nashville, which invited the Nashville Zoo to relocate there. Today, the zoo is home to more than 6,000 animals.