The Washington Park Zoo in Michigan City is widely believed to be.the.only zoo in the state completely designed .and landscaped by the WPA during the Great Depression.      The Washington Park Zoo.Observation Tower is one the most iconic features of the Zoo and Park, built during the Great Depression as a part of the New Deal Public Works.      During the 1930’s the zoo and park underwent major major development under the Works Progress Administration and its predessors Federal Emergency Relief.Administration and  the Civil Works Administration. These programs provided jobs and funding for public projects and the Washington Park and Zoo is believed to be the only zoo inIndiana  completely designed and landscaped by the WPA and its agencies.      The Observation tower was constructed in 1937 on top of a sand dune east of the zoo, offering panoramic views of the park and Lake Michigan.      It is an 80 foot, 4 story Art Deco style structure made from.a steel railroad tower ( from.the South Shore Line).  It was faced with limestone and topped with a spherical ornament said  to be a compression chamber from the city’s first fire engine.                 Monkey Island was created in 1934.  The island featured a center moated design with exterior wall and an access tunnel connecting the animals with indoor quarters. It housed primarily former pets and injured wild animals  It was part of initiative to improve the zoo using recycled and donated material.  Workers often scavenged  for broken concrete, surplus stone and other materials locally to construct the islsnd, reflecting both necessity during the Great Depression and innovative design under limited resourcof .      Monkey Island.and other zoo structures were primarily funded through New Deal programs such as Federal Emergency Relief Administration, Civil Works Administration and WPA.  These programs not only provided employment during the Depression but also enabled  the creation of enduring public recreational facilities.     Monkey Island stands as an imaginative example of 1930’s zoo.construction integrating both functionally and aesthetic appeal within a naturalistic environment.