Mary Elitch Long | |
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| Born | Mary Elizabeth Hauck May 10, 1856 |
| Died | July 12, 1936 (aged 80) Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Burial place | Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Colorado |
| Other names | Mary Elitch The Gracious Lady of the Gardens The Lady of the Gardens |
| Occupation(s) | Owner and Operator of a Zoo, a Theatre, and a botanic gardens. |
| Known for | Elitch Gardens and Elitch Theatre |
| Spouse(s) | John Elitch (m. 1872-1891; his death) Thomas Long (m. 1900-1920; his death) |
Mary Elitch Long (born Mary Elizabeth Hauck; May 10, 1856 – July 16, 1936) was one of the original owners of Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado. She was the first woman to own and manage a zoo—the first zoo between Chicago and the west coast—and one of the first women to own and manage a theater (the first Summer stock theatre in the country.) She was an author of two children's books and was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1996.[1]
- ^ Mary Elitch Long profile, Colorado Women's Hall of Fame website. Accessed June 17, 2023.