By Wendi Bevitt
Just after 1900, Osage City was the home to its own zoological garden complete with its own castle for a headquarters. In this garden, however, the lions didn’t roar, there were no trumpets from the elephants or growls from the bears. They were all as still as a statue – literally.
The garden was the creation of a man named Clyde Hogan. Clyde was the son of Thomas and Nancy (Crowder) Hogan. Thomas had served his country in the Civil War in the 51st Illinois Infantry for 3 1/2 years. The family had come to Osage County in 1877. According to the 1887 Osage City directory, the family lived at 1141 Murray Street. This location is in the northeast portion of present day Osage City around the Flint Hills Nature Trail.
Clyde Hogan was born in 1886 prior to the move to the Murray Street address. It is unknown whether they stayed at this address or stayed in the “northeast part of town”, but by the early 1900s they were living in a castle that served as a backdrop for the emerging zoological gardens. Clyde had taken an interest in amusement parks and had started touring with an amusement group. By early 1906 construction was nearly completed on Clyde’s re-creation of what surrounded him during his circus life. The house strongly resembled a “Katzenjammer castle” used most commonly as a fun house. Plaster animals dotted the front yard, posing for guests who came to gaze at the spectacle and a magnificent gate beckoned them in.
Clyde’s circus life didn’t stop there.
