Gay's Lion Farm #3

In 1925, the Gays opened their Lion Farm on a 5-acre plot of land located just east of Los Angeles in El Monte. (Shortly after the Farm opened, nearby El Monte High School adopted the name “Lions” for its athletic teams.) A popular tourist attraction, the Farm was dedicated to the breeding, training and exhibition of African lions. The U-shaped compound had separate cages for each adult cat, a nursery, and a central caged arena, where trained lion acts were presented for visitors. Its African-inspired thatched-roof buildings are believed to have been the inspiration for Walt Disney’s original Adventureland.