The Ivan Chronicles
A Mountain Gorilla Experience
A once in a lifetime experience Through my heritage with Ivan the Gorilla, I have always had a connection to this species since day one, but I have never felt closer to them or to Ivan until this day. I met our leader ,Jodi Carrigan, the Curator of Primates at Zoo Atlanta in 2010. She…
Read MoreIvan and West Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 21
Some time ago, a good friend Theadora Harding, informed me that West Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 21 had decided to adopt Ivan the Gorilla as their mascot. I reached out to Fire Chief Jim Sharp to inquire if my uncle Ron Irwin and I could visit the Fire Station for a photo with the crew. Upon…
Read MoreBe Ivan – Red Boiling Springs Elementary School
Heading to Tennessee For the past few years, Larry and I have hosted a presentation about Ivan’s life for Ms. Januarie Alred’s class at Red Boiling Springs Elementary School (Go Bulldogs) in TN via Zoom. This year, thanks Ms Alred’s and the generosity of the Macon County Arts Council, who sponsored the cost of our…
Read MoreIvan’s Compound – The Space He Left Behind
After the B&I Circus Store changed hands in 1995, I swore I would never return. This store that had once brought so much joy was now haunted. It was filled with many ghosts of years long gone. Time does soften those feelings, and after twenty-five years I had decided it was time to…
Read MoreHeirs To A Story Like No Other
My Grandparents, Earl & Constance Irwin, started the B&I Circus store back in the early 40’s and from my earliest memories, Ivan was always a part of my life and family. My sisters and I often state how incredible our childhood was, largely due to the influence of our close family state. As a child,…
Read MoreThe Bicycle
Larry Johnston & Ivan the Gorilla® circa 1964 at the B&I Circus Store. The Solex Electric Bicycle company wanted to introduce their new motorized bicycle & feature a photo shoot with Ivan for commercial purposes. Ivan & I would take many adventures together, but he had especially loved to ride on motorcycles with…
Read MoreMy Perspective: Disney’s The One and Only Ivan
I watched the newly released Disney movie, The One and Only Ivan, over the weekend. For many, this may be a fascinating movie, but for me, it was epic. The film had captivated me from the beginning. It opened with the introduction of Henrietta, a chicken that played baseball. We actually did have…
Read MoreFor A Friend
August 20, 2020 Today, August 20, 2020, is the eighth anniversary of the passing of our friend Ivan the Gorilla®. Tomorrow Disney will release their motion picture adaptation of the novel “The One and Only Ivan”. Through the years much has been said about my family & our connection to Ivan, my grandfather should not have bought Ivan as…
Read MoreA Christmas Tree for Ivan
Throughout his time in Western Washington, Ivan the Gorilla® was adored by the area’s youth, especially during the Christmas season. The children of Madison Elementary in Olympia, WA decided to show their appreciation to Ivan’s friendship in the winter of 1985. While spending time in the bedroom of his 1600 square foot compound, the children…
Read MoreHow Ivan Helped Build Interstate 5
The year was 1964. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 29, 1956, gave birth to the construction of the new Interstate 5. The Superhighway would stretch 277 miles across the state of Washington closely following ancient trails once used by the indigenous Native Americans &…
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