By Kimberly Gunning
Over 100 animals and creatures reside in the Swetsville Zoo, none of them with beating hearts. Lucky the sea serpent, Omelet the busted marshmallow, and Elly the elephant bird are all creations of Bill Swets.
Searching for a unique way to spend my Monday, I came across Swetsville Zoo on the Fort Collins visitor page listed under, you guessed it, “zoos.” Expecting a normal, living-animal zoo, I was captivated by the creativity of Swetsville and just had to visit!
The zoo’s inhabitants range from eight-inch robotic sculptures to 12-foot dinosaurs. Each welded together out of scrap metal and recycled pieces. Hot and Cold faucet handles for eyes, a parking meter for a head, springs for arms, a retro TV set as a body – No creature is built the same.
The provided, self-guided tour allows each visitor’s imagination to grow. They can follow along and learn the names and stories of the many humorously creative creatures. Like, ‘Harry the Hitchhiker – Sub-human – Always looking for a handout.’
An article in the Swetsville Gazette framed on the outside building of the zoo, written by Steve Thomas, calls it, “Land of the Eccentrics.” And it could not be more accurately named!
Thomas writes that Swets was a farmer for most of his life and a volunteer firefighter for 22 years. He began welding recycled car parts, farm machinery and scrap metal in 1985, and averaged 15 – 20 sculptures each winter through 1995.
Reviews online read that the zoo used to have a train visitors could ride around the once-larger and more populated property to view the sculptures. Swetsville may be past its’ prime, but it is still well-worth the visit! It’s a perfect road-side attraction or destination trip for any age.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The zoo is open every day from sunrise to sunset. There is no admission; yet, donations keep the place open, so be sure to have a few bucks handy.
Swetsville Zoo is located in Fort Collins, just east of Interstate 25, on East Harmony Road. It is across from a Walmart shopping center (which takes away a bit of its mystique at first glance). Once on the zoo’s property, however, your imagination is free to run wild, surrounding yourself by the prehistoric, futuristic and imaginary kind.
