§ Journal/Boca Raton History

Africa U.S.A.: Boca Raton’s Lost Wildlife Park (and the Walt Disney Story)

From 1953 to 1961, Africa U.S.A. — a 300-acre cageless wildlife park — stood near Federal Highway in downtown Boca Raton, right where Lloyd’s Studio is today. Michael Lloyd’s historic-photographs story, first published in 2009.

Lloyd's Studio Photography · Boca Raton, FL

One of Boca Raton’s best-kept secrets

Africa U.S.A. is one of Boca Raton’s best-kept secrets — and it’s a whopper of a secret. While researching our Boca Raton historic photographs series, I came across Africa-USA.com, a wonderful tribute site to the city’s most famous lost theme park. I had no idea this place had ever existed.

And it didn’t exist just anywhere. It was here in downtown Boca Raton — and when I say here, I mean HERE, where our studio building at 233 S Federal Highway sits today. The park was even featured on the cover of LIFE magazine.

LIFE magazine cover from August 1, 1960, showing children feeding giraffes from a safari jeep at Africa U.S.A. in Boca Raton — Africa U.S.A. on the cover of LIFE, August 1, 1960 — “Safari in new-type U.S. fun spot.” Archival magazine cover.

What was Africa U.S.A.?

Africa U.S.A. was an African wildlife tourist attraction open from 1953 until 1961, on about 300 acres of land near U.S. 1 (Federal Highway) in Boca Raton, Florida. It was promoted as America’s first cageless African wildlife park.

It is believed to have predated Lion Country Safari in both launch date and design. Where Lion Country Safari lets you drive your own car through the park, Africa U.S.A. showed off its animals from its own “Safari Jeep Tram.” Home movies from 1956, filmed by George Hill and shared by Africa-USA.com, still show the park in its heyday.

Visitors riding the Safari Jeep Tram past animals at Africa U.S.A. in Boca Raton, Florida — The Safari Jeep Tram tour at Africa U.S.A. Historic archival photograph, not taken by Lloyd’s Studio.

“Machakas” greeted every visitor

Every visitor was greeted by “Machakas.” One of the photographs from the park shows Mrs. Phyllis — a hostess of “Romper Room” on WPTV Channel 5 — with Machakas at Africa U.S.A.

A correction from the original post, thanks to our readers Mrs. Pederson and Eugenie Latshaw: the famous camel photograph on Federal Highway is in Boca Raton, but it dates from the 1920s and a Shriners’ event, not Africa U.S.A. We love it anyway.

“Machakas” the camel, who greeted visitors at Africa U.S.A. in Boca Raton — “Machakas,” who greeted every visitor to Africa U.S.A.

The Walt Disney and “Mouse” story

Here is the part of the story I love most. As it has been told to me, Walt Disney wanted to buy Africa U.S.A. from its owner. In Spanish, “ratón” means mouse — so Boca Raton was already, in a sense, a place named for a mouse. What better home for Mickey Mouse?

The deal never happened, and Disney eventually built in Orlando. This is a local story passed down rather than something I have a document for, so take it as Boca Raton lore — but imagine downtown Boca as the home of Disney World.

Why Africa U.S.A. still matters

Africa U.S.A. closed in 1961, and the land became part of downtown Boca Raton. Today almost nothing of it remains except photographs, films and memories. That is exactly why old photographs matter: they are often the only record left of a place.

If your family has old prints, slides or home movies of Africa U.S.A. or early Boca Raton, we can restore damaged photographs and transfer old film and tapes so those memories survive. An appointment is always required.