Broad smiles covered the faces of the Alderson Town Council and spectators as author and history professor Richard Hartman recounted his research on the history of French, the Alderson lion. In researching his upcoming book about French, to be titled “The National Lion,” Hartman expressed his excitement at discovering what is likely the only photograph of French. Taken when he was about 3 years old and published in the Washington Post at the time, the glass plate negative still exists in the archives of the Smithsonian Institution.
At the time of French’s purchase from local blacksmith’s wife, Susan Bebout, for $300, the National Zoo was under the management of the Smithsonian Institution. Established by Congress and charged to acquire animals for exhibit by donations from people and circuses, payment for an animal was unusual and may indicate the importance of this acquisition. French was the first lion at the zoo and the first lion ever purchased by the federal government.
Hartman presented the framed plaque featuring the actual photo of French, the Alderson lion, and a quote that was published in the Washington Post on April 3, 1893. The quote is from William Blackburn, Head Zookeeper at the National Zoo, describing French as “a magnificent specimen in fine coat and splendidly muscled. One particularity of his marking is a spot like a three-leaf clover in the hair on his forehead.” That marking helped Hartman determine that the photo was indeed French.
Hartman said, “I felt like I needed to bring French back home.” Alderson Main Street member Cheryl Mansley facilitated this presentation.
For more on the story of French, there are publications by Belinda Anderson at the Alderson Artisans Gallery which explain why the Town of Alderson still has an ordinance on the books requiring residents to keep their lion on a leash!
