George Phillip Vierheller, 1882–1966

Born in St. Louis, Missouri on 30 July 1882, George P. Vierheller was the son of Henry Vierheller and Margaret (Daub) Vierheller. He began his career as a bonds broker in the City of St. Louis, but later he became the first director of the St. Louis Zoo, serving from 1922 to 1962. He was called “Mr. Zoo.”

During the forty years that Mr. Vierheller was employed at the St. Louis Zoo, he moved up the ladder of success from secretary of the newly formed Zoological Board of Control to superintendent in 1922. He followed that with becoming the director of the St. Louis Zoological Park in 1928.

During his tenure, the zoo made many improvements on the Primate House, the Reptile House, the Bird House, and the Ape House. They also added animal acts, such as the lion show, the elephant show, and a chimpanzee show. In 1930, Mr. Vierheller was elected chairman of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, receiving several awards.

Mr. Vierheller married Ida Lang in St. Charles, Missouri, on 1 July 1904. This union produced only one child, a daughter, Marguerite (Vierheller) Mueller. Ida was the daughter of Frederick Lang and Margaret Bier. She was born in St. Louis on 18 July 1883.

Mr. Vierheller retired in 1962 and was replaced by Marlin Perkins, who Mr. Vierheller had hired. He gave Marlin Perkins his first job keeping the sidewalks clean and tidy for the visitors to the Zoo.

Because of his wonderful dedication to this institution, the St. Louis Zoo commissioned a statue of Mr. Vierheller which shows him standing hand in hand with a chimpanzee. The plaque on the statue’s pedestal reads: “George Philip Vierheller, 1882–1966. The first director and devoted builder of this Zoo. Serving from 1910 to 1962 he unselfishly gave of himself to the renown of this institution and the city.” This endearing legacy was placed near one of the railroad stations at the St. Louis Zoo but has recently been moved to the front of the chimpanzee house.

George P. Vierheller died of a ruptured aorta on 18 September 1966 in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of eighty-four. He is buried at New Saint Marcus Cemetery and Mausoleum along with his wife, Ida (Lang) Vierheller who died ten years later on 19 May 1977.

Written by Shirley Wadell
September 2024

© 2024, St. Louis Genealogical Society