Trapper Nelson Zoo Historic District, Historic district in Hobe Sound, Florida.

Trapper Nelson Zoo Historic District stands inside Jonathan Dickinson State Park south of Hobe Sound, Florida. Its surviving buildings include Nelson's cabin, a guest cabin, a chickee shelter, docks, a boathouse and assorted zoo cages. Fruit trees he planted, among them Surinam cherry, Java plum and wild almond, still grow on the grounds.

Vince "Trapper" Nelson developed a zoo on his property in the 1950s, and his camp and zoo became popular tourist attractions visited by figures such as Gene Tunney and Gary Cooper. He was known locally as the "Tarzan of the Loxahatchee". Found dead in his cabin by a friend in 1968, his death was ruled a suicide, and his land was acquired by the state of Florida. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 3, 2006.

The site drew wealthy visitors from Palm Beach and Hollywood guests who came to watch alligator wrestling and see the wildlife kept on the grounds. These live demonstrations were a major draw for entertainment seekers of that era.

The site lies inside Jonathan Dickinson State Park at 16450 Southeast Federal Highway, south of Hobe Sound, and is reached by boat along the Loxahatchee River rather than by road. Allow time for the river trip and check park information before setting out, since the camp is not open to the public on its own.

In April 1984, park rangers found Nelson's hidden stash inside his chimney: 5,005 coins totalling $1,829.46, dating from the 1890s to the 1960s. Rangers searched the whole camp thoroughly before announcing the find, and nothing else turned up.