Explore the real-world places that appear in The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma Mall, B&I Circus Store, Woodland Park Zoo, Point Defiance Park and 5 more.
5400 N Pearl St — Ivan's real-life home after the mall
This zoo represents Ivan's freedom from the Big Top Mall. After Ruby's arrival forces Ivan to see his captivity with new eyes, he begins using his art to communicate his desire for a better life. His paintings eventually help secure his transfer to a proper zoo environment where he can live with other gorillas in a more natural habitat.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium opened in 1905, making it one of the oldest zoos in the Pacific Northwest. It has evolved from a simple collection of animals to a modern conservation facility focused on animal welfare and breeding programs.
The zoo continues to operate as a major attraction in Tacoma, housing over 9,000 animals representing more than 300 species. It maintains state-of-the-art facilities and participates in global conservation efforts.
Visit: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (zoo)
4502 S Steele St — Inspiration for the Big Top Mall setting
The fictional Big Top Mall serves as Ivan's prison for 27 years. Here Ivan lives in a glass enclosure, watched by curious shoppers while he paints and interacts with his friends Stella the elephant and Bob the stray dog. The mall's circus-themed attractions and gift shop represent the commercialization of wild animals for human entertainment.
Tacoma Mall opened in 1965 as one of the largest shopping centers in the Pacific Northwest. During the 1970s and 1980s, it was common for shopping malls to feature unusual attractions, including live animal displays, to draw customers.
Tacoma Mall remains a major shopping destination with over 160 stores and restaurants. While it no longer features live animal attractions, it continues to serve as the primary shopping hub for the South Puget Sound region.
Visit: Tacoma Mall (shopping)
1208 S Yakima Ave — Real location that inspired Ivan's story
This location inspired the story's setting where Ivan, Stella, and other animals were displayed for public viewing. In the novel, this represents the place where Ivan spent decades behind glass, developing his unique perspective on human behavior and forming deep bonds with fellow captive animals like the aging elephant Stella.
The B&I Circus Store was an actual business in Tacoma that kept a real gorilla named Ivan in a concrete enclosure from 1970 to 1994. The store used Ivan as an attraction to draw customers, keeping him in conditions that would later be considered inappropriate for such an intelligent animal.
The original B&I Circus Store location no longer exists as it once did. The site has been redeveloped, but Ivan's story continues to educate people about animal welfare and the importance of appropriate habitats for wild animals.
5500 Phinney Ave N, Seattle — Where the real Ivan lived after Tacoma
While not explicitly named in the novel, this zoo represents the kind of proper facility Ivan dreams of throughout the story. When Ruby arrives and Ivan sees her distress at captivity, he becomes determined to use his artistic abilities to communicate their need for a better environment with other animals of their species.
Woodland Park Zoo was founded in 1889 and became a pioneer in naturalistic exhibits. In 1994, it received the real Ivan from the B&I Circus Store, providing him with a proper gorilla habitat for the first time in decades.
The zoo continues to be a leader in conservation and animal care. It houses over 1,000 animals and is known for its innovative exhibit design that prioritizes animal welfare while educating visitors about wildlife conservation.
Visit: Woodland Park Zoo (zoo)
5400 N Pearl St — Natural beauty near Ivan's eventual home
The park's old-growth forest represents the natural world that Ivan has nearly forgotten from his early life in the jungle. When Ivan begins to remember his origins and paint scenes from nature, these towering trees and wild spaces symbolize the freedom he yearns for both himself and Ruby.
Point Defiance Park was established in 1905 as one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Its 760 acres include old-growth forest that has remained largely unchanged for centuries, providing a glimpse of the Pacific Northwest's original landscape.
The park remains a major recreational area featuring hiking trails, beaches, gardens, and the zoo. Its pristine forests continue to offer visitors a connection to the natural world that once covered the entire Puget Sound region.
Visit: Point Defiance Park (park)
1701 Pacific Ave — Celebrating artistic expression like Ivan's
Ivan's artistic abilities are central to the story - his paintings become the key to communicating his and Ruby's need for freedom. The museum represents the power of art to convey deep emotions and truths that words cannot express, much like Ivan's paintings that finally help humans understand his situation.
The Tacoma Art Museum was founded in 1935 and has been dedicated to collecting and exhibiting art of the Pacific Northwest. It moved to its current location in 2003, expanding its mission to include contemporary works and community engagement.
The museum houses over 5,000 works of art and continues to be a cultural cornerstone of Tacoma. It regularly features exhibitions that explore the relationship between art and social issues, making it a fitting tribute to the power of artistic expression.
Visit: Tacoma Art Museum (museum)
Ruston Way — Views of Puget Sound and freedom
The waterfront represents the vast world beyond Ivan's glass enclosure. When Ivan begins to remember his life before captivity and dreams of Ruby experiencing natural spaces, the endless expanse of Puget Sound symbolizes the boundless freedom that all wild animals deserve.
Ruston Way has been Tacoma's primary waterfront promenade since the early 1900s. Originally industrial, it was transformed into a public recreational area in the 1970s, providing citizens access to the natural beauty of Puget Sound.
The waterfront features parks, walking and biking trails, restaurants, and beaches. It remains one of Tacoma's most popular recreational areas, offering stunning views of the Olympic Mountains and regular wildlife sightings.
Visit: Ruston Way Waterfront (park)
11610 Trek Dr E, Eatonville — Natural habitats for native animals
This wildlife park embodies Ivan's vision of what a proper home for animals should be - spacious, natural environments where animals can exhibit their natural behaviors. Ruby's distress at being confined drives Ivan to imagine better places where young elephants could grow up surrounded by their own kind in settings that honor their wild nature.
Northwest Trek opened in 1975 as a wildlife park dedicated to showcasing native Pacific Northwest animals in natural habitats. It was designed to demonstrate how animals thrive when given appropriate space and environmental conditions.
The park spans 725 acres and houses native species including elk, bison, bears, and wolves in naturalistic settings. It continues to educate visitors about wildlife conservation and the importance of preserving natural habitats.
Visit: Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (wildlife park)
1501 Pacific Ave — Wonder and learning through play
The museum represents the innocent curiosity that children like Julia show toward Ivan and his art. Julia's ability to see beyond Ivan's captivity to his true nature as an artist parallels the museum's mission to help children discover and express their own creativity and understanding of the world.
The Children's Museum of Tacoma opened in 1985 with a mission to inspire learning through play. It has always focused on hands-on exhibits that encourage children to explore, create, and develop empathy for others.
The museum continues to serve families throughout the South Puget Sound region with interactive exhibits designed to spark imagination and learning. It regularly hosts programs that connect children with art, nature, and social awareness.
Visit: Children's Museum of Tacoma (museum)
5519 Five Mile Dr — Understanding captivity and freedom in history
The fort represents themes of captivity and freedom that run throughout Ivan's story. Just as the fort once confined people within its walls for protection and control, Ivan's glass enclosure confines him. The historical perspective helps readers understand how attitudes toward freedom and captivity have evolved over time.
Fort Nisqually was established in 1833 as a Hudson's Bay Company trading post. It served as a center of commerce and cultural exchange between European settlers and Native American tribes for decades before being transformed into a historical site.
The reconstructed fort operates as a living history museum within Point Defiance Park, featuring costumed interpreters who demonstrate life in the 19th century Pacific Northwest. It helps visitors understand the region's complex history of cultural contact and change.
Visit: Fort Nisqually Living History Museum (historic site)
More by Katherine Applegate: All Katherine Applegate books
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