Manufacturer: Maddock Pottery
User: New York Zoological Society – Rocking Stone Restaurant and Boat House Restaurant
Date of pedestal bowl: Early 1900s

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Notes: Founded in 1895, the New York Zoological Society opened the Bronx Zoological Park and Gardens on Nov. 8, 1899. There were two restaurants within the park, the Rocking Stone Restaurant that offered meals during park hours, and the Boat House Restaurant that overlooked Bronx Lake. All profit was used to increase the zoo's animal collection.

A story in the Lewiston Daily Sun in 1901 gives the inspiration for the Rocking Stone's name: "The rocking stone is one of the natural wonders of the Park. It is a huge bowlder [sic] of many tons weight, so poised on one side that a little effort sets it in motion. This highest part of the Park is the crest of land upon which rests this stone, and it is known as Rocking Stone Hill." The stone has since been stabilized and no longer rocks.

A 1905 Rocking Stone menu lists cold meats, salads, sandwiches, and desserts, including ice cream. And an undated lunch menu offers steaks, chops, and vegetables.

In 1912, A $6,000 addition was made to the Rocking Stone Restaurant.

Any restaurant within a zoo has to have animal stories, and the Bronx Zoo has a couple of good ones.

In June 1906, Rollo, a large sloth bear who had the bad habit of escaping from his den by climbing over the bars, was found inside the Rocking Stone ransacking the shelves and "demolishing unlimited sets of crockery." And this was not his first visit to the restaurant. He was chased by his trainer, and the story did not end well for Rollo.

In 1915, Dinah, an African gorilla who was very well-behaved and had been taught to drink milk from a glass without breaking it, was regularly shown off by her trainer. Dinah particularly enjoyed "daintily" eating strawberry ice cream in the Rocking Stone Restaurant, under supervision, of course.

In 1940, plans were proposed to enlarge the Rocking Stone Restaurant. This is the last newspaper article found about the Rocking Stone Restaurant. It is no longer standing.

The Bronx Zoo is now part of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Maddock Pottery made Lamberton China with a coin gold crest for the restaurants in the zoo. The only known surviving item from this service is this pedestal ice cream, or egg dish (a shape not shown in the 1917 Maddock catalog). The decoration is a green band outlined with coin gold pin lines, with additional coin gold pin lines.

Sources:
Lewiston Daily Sun, Dec. 3, 1901 – story about park
New York Public Library digital collection, 1905 – menu
Pittsburgh Press, June 5, 1906 – Rollo the bear story
New York Tribune, Aug. 15, 1912 – addition
San Antonio Express-News, Aug. 13, 1915 – Dinah story
Daily Reporter, Sept. 19, 1940 – proposed modernization
Digital Culture of Metropolitan New York – photos of Rocking Stone restaurant
Digital Culture of Metropolitan New York – photos of Rocking Stone restaurant

Contributor:
Larry Paul, author