The park first opened as Chehaw State Park in 1937 at a size of 586 acres. During early development, Native American artifacts were frequently found. The word “Chehaw” comes a tribe of Creek Native Americans. In 1974, the city of Albany leased 100 unused acres from the State of Georgia to found Chehaw Wild Animal Park. Later, the entire area was donated to the city by the state. Between 1975 and 1977, animals were moved to Chehaw from Tift Park Zoo in downtown Albany. In October of 1977, Chehaw Wild Animal Park officially opened to the public. AZA accreditation was granted in 1997. Since then, Chehaw has expanded beyond the original Wild Animal Park. New facilities included an education center, a playground, and a nationally-sanctioned BMX bike track.
