Amusement parks were not new to Seattleites in the early part of the twentieth century. Leschi Park Gambling Casino operated on the shores of Lake Washington from 1888-1909.

The first zoo in Seattle was a private development by the Lake Washington Cable Railway Co. in 1889 at Leschi Park as an added attraction to lure townsfolk to ride the clanking "horseless" cars all the way from Pioneer Square, being made aware of the real estate for sale along the way. This same year Guy Phinney was building his "Woodland Park" - also with a zoo feature. The animals at Leschi were given to the City for inclusion with the Woodland Zoo in 1903.

The park was a former campsite of Chief Leschi, of the Nisqually tribe. Leschi was executed by territorial Governor Isaac Stevens for his participation in the Battle of Seattle. The 1854 treaty which took away native lands led to an attack on the settlement in 1856. Many tribe members and two settlers were killed, and Leschi was subsequently tortured and hanged. In 1889, the site became an amusement park at the end of Lake Washington Cable Railway's trolley line. The attractions included a casino, gardens, boat rentals and a zoo. The zoo animals were donated to the City in 1903 and the site itself was sold to the City in 1909.