KENDRICK PARK LIONS...."FOO DOGS"

Jack Sorvik, 1951
Someone was inquiring about the lion dogs at the entrance to Kendrick Park.
Charles Popovich, we remember as a math teacher, has written a 300+ page
book of selected historical data regarding Sheridan.
One of the chapters is on the Lion Dogs.  His article says they were brought
from China to SanFrancisco in 1915 during the Panama-Pacific International
Exposition.

Peter Neiter bought them at the closing of the exposition for $10,000 from
the government of China.  He donated them to the City of Sheridan in 1919 to
be placed at the entrance of what was then Pioneer Park.

Peter Neiter owned the Central Market, the Sheridan Meat Market and the Graham
Market. Popovich's book is great for anyone interested in the history
of items and/or events in and around Sheridan.

Steve Rogers,1954 added:
i just wanted it to go down for the record that I didn't have
anything to do with the first "stealing" of the Lion in the Park. I
was called the next morning after it was transported by a certain
Packard to the alley behind a certain house. I was told that it was
well hidden in the alley.  After I rounded up help we drove down
the alley in my Model A pickup and there "It" was, sitting upright
with a garbage can lid on it's head and
some leaves around it.  The rest of the story is true, we transported
it to an abandoned farm house out at the Home Ranch near the Girl's
School. Since I was the only one in the group who was 21 at the time,
I thought I was going to end up in prison.  Do you remember
that the City begged that if the Lion was returned, they wouldn't
press charges?
Steve

Jon Brooder, 1958
Thanks for filling in the blanks, Steve.  Yes, there was a promise made that if the
lions/dogs were returned there would be no charges filed. But we did end up
in court, in spite of it, with the city attorney on our side and the judge
saying we had planned to melt the foo down for its bronze, so that we could
sell the metal. 


Jon Brooder, 1958
I've spent so little time in Sheridan since my high school days that I don't
know what cars still exist.  Both Stan and Jim Wolfe had great old black
Packards, I think either '46 or '49.  Stan's was a limosine. Another
interesting car in Sheridan was Ed Birchby's Muntz Jet.  It was pink, and
always parked across the street from his office in the Western Hotel.  And I
DO remember Butch's ford pickup.  I think, by not going back much, I can
preserve Sheridan as it was then - which was pretty good, by today's
standards.

Bob Wakefield, 1957
If only those Foos could talk! What tales, what Foo! Because of them, we have
Egg Foo Yong. And who can ever forget Foos Rush In? And that rap hit 'Sup,
Foo'? Remember "There's no Foo like an old Foo?" And that incredible dish,
Toe Foo. From the Hit Parade, "Now And Then, There's a Foo Such as I." And
"If Foo Knew Susie, Like I Knew Susie." Remember that Frank Sinatra war
movie, "Never So Foo"? How can we forget the Palestinian leader, Yasser
AraFoo? And "The Lion Dogs of War." That was some flick. Give those Foos some
credit. Without them, but by another spelling, we would not have "Phooie!"
Foos do have limitations, however. Whoever heard anyone say, "Go Foo
yourself!" Or "What the Foo is going on here?" Or even "Foo you!"? That's
about the limit of my Fooing around. Take Foo aspirin and call me in the
morning. Bob Wakefield '57.

Dixie Snyder Tubbs,1955:
Wasn't Hughes Grocery on Smith Street somewhat near the park?  I vaguely
remember.  I also remember that the zookeeper lived on Smith adjacent to the
park and that he and his wife were caring for the baby lion cubs and they let
me feed one with a baby bottle.  Have a snapshot of same.  I remember despite
their small size, their claws were very sharp.  I'd like to think that he was
Major Sheridan, but I know it was a different cub.

The veterinary clinic wasn't all that far from where we lived - well probably
a half mile - and one day we had a big sheep lumber into our yard.  My mother
was always one to take in stray animals, but she felt this was more than she
could handle!

Sharon Green 1958

Trying to get those lions to eat the bananas was too messy, so I just
visited Maggie and Jiggs by way of the little bridge at the other end
of the park.  That was probably my first lesson concerning who to
feed.....and taking shortcuts.

Do you know if Jiggs died of old age.....or maybe some bacterial
disease?   Does anybody
know when Maggie and Jiggs did die?  I think most of us really did
love that cute little couple.  Fond memories.

Mary Ann Clark 1961
Anyone have their picture taken with the foo dog statues at the park??  My
uncles did in the early 1930's when they first settled in Sheridan, and I try
to get my relatives to have their pictures taken by the statues, too, each
year when I'm in Sheridan.  They didn't mind too much the first few years,
but are getting a little bored with it by now...