Aviary at the Houston Zoo
historic place
The Aviary at the Houston Zoo, located in Houston, Harris County, Texas, is recognized as a Historic Place. It was constructed around 1926. This site is notable for featuring the sculptural work of Mexican-born artist Dionicio Rodriguez. Rodriguez designed and built concrete faux bois components, including a fountain, logs, ledges, and a rock-bordered shallow pond. These sculptures were known as the "flying sculpture". The original wire cage of the aviary was destroyed by Hurricane Carla in 1961. However, Rodriguez's concrete sculptures remained intact. The aviary was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 9, 2005. Today, the site's original sculptures are part of the zoo's flamingo habitat. The Aviary at the Houston Zoo is historically significant as a unique example of early 20th-century zoological environment featuring original art by Dionicio Rodriguez.