vintage postcards
The California Alligator Farm (1907 - 1953) displayed "hundreds of alligator of all sizes, from little babies, hardly the size of a lizard, up to huge monsters, 500 years or more," according to the original brochure! The website itself is bursting with vintage images and snappy anecdotes:)
Here is a cheery and nostalgic farm video from 1941. It's filled with the unusual combination of toddlers and gators!
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33 cool cats commented:
I had to look at this one twice. I love it! You have to wonder who came up with this idea.
The children rode real alligators with their jaws bound shut! It's amazing how fearless people were back then! The farm was founded by an old gold miner. He charged 25 cents admission per person and made more money off of it then he ever did panning for gold.)
Totally bizarre! Your comment that people were fearless back then is exactly what I was thinking. Fearless and much less concerned with sanitizing, beautifying, sterilizing, photo-shopping, play-dating their offsprings' childhoods!
Incredible but true ! Even with the closed yap I will never ride an alligator. It is too low for my back.
I wouldn't want to ride one either! I've fed them in the FLorida Everglades: That made me nervous enough: They were writhing and snapping at the pieces of chicken we threw! There was a huge fence but it still felt too close for comfort!
Sorry Marie If you was chocked by my very bad english. I found this word in my big dictionnary which learns me some swearwords.
My god, a little girl with his prehistorical dog...
Serioulsy, there's a crocodiles farm in the south of France, but I'm not sure we can play with this pets ? la ferme aux crocodiles
Like Deb, I had to look twice! I'm quite sure I wouldn't let my boys ride a croc even if it were toothless!
Wow, that's an old video there - and color on film wasn't that common back then. 1941 was only a few years after Wizard of Oz. That place looks pretty cool - I remember being somewhere like that in Florida when I was a little kid. I didn't ride them though. LOL
Fearless or dumber? I think the latter myself. I've never seen a 'gator in person, but I think my momma raised me with enough sense to S-T-A-Y away from them and keep off their backs:)
Wow...that is really something! I wonder if anyone ever lost a limb...or their life! Incredible. The kids are having a ball!
It looks cool. But there's no way I would be seen on that alligator.
Hi Marie! I just love that postcard. Alligators are so cool!
Thank you so much for checking out my blog and sure I'd love a card.
I remember visiting Florida with my mother when I was twelve and she bought me a stuffed, baby alligator. This would be so cruel now, and fortunately has been discontinued.
Speaking of snappy, you HAVE to check out my post on Wednesday.
No way Jose would I let my little kid near an alligator! I grew up in Florida and used to swim with them. They are VERY dangerous and faster, stronger than one would think. :o)
I have a favor to ask .. I am out of town and have set up posts to post whilst I am sunning ... could you on Friday log me into your Mr Linky I have a postcard shot set up to post at midnight NY time .. xo
Bibi - A baby stuffed baby alligator! That is just wild!
Sparky - It's so true! In Alabama we were always worried when swimming! Gators look so much like logs floating in the water too. But you know all that when you#re from the South like you are!
Daryl - But of course dahling! I will hook you up with Mr. Linky for PFF! No problemo:)
A good post, Marie.
Alligators are really dreadful!
I can't believe that is a real photo! What a treasure.
Yikes! The postcard makes me nervous! Even if the jaws are bound shut...LOL :)
tina
I would have been scared to ride an alligator when I was that age. Now I sould love to visit a place like that, but I would keep my distance from the alligators.
They had an alligator farm and an ostrich farm in Hot Springs, Arkansas too.
Someone must hate that child. Any idea how long it would take for her to fall off and be lashed with the gator's tail?
This is really cool! :-)
I never rode an alligator, but they sure taste good ... =)
Thanks for stopping by my blog.. It's always nice to meet new people..
that video is really unbelieveable.. I never knew something like that took place.. Pretty brave for those little ones to be around such fierce animals.. thanks for sharing..
GOOD HEAVENS! scary!
"kids...DON'T try this at home!"
Unbelievable but true! I can’t imagine myself or any other mother I know let the kids ride an alligator!
That's an information ! I guess that, today, opening the same Crocodiles farm, they would make fortune ! I'm sure there would be many visitors who would appreciate
to stroke for real an alligaror, as soon as it has its jaw bound !
A way to exceed one's fear.
In the second part of the video, when they're so many in a so narrow place, they look like a "nid de serpents" (something like snakes nest). So impressing.
I guess that today, critter associations wouldn't let open such zoo, on behald of animal protection and care.
I just had to watch that again, and this time I let the children watch it....
that is bizarre and scary - and especially with the rag time music.....just really strange!
and intriguing.....
Oh, heavens! How dangerous is THAT?! I wonder if anyone got eaten? Cool postcard!
Awesome Postcard...
But just "wrong" on so many levels!!
Having lived in Florida, I've developed a healthy fear of "gators"... I've also had a "taste" of them, once... reminded me of chicken...
~blessings~Pearl
Wow! I wish I can ride an alligator that way too hehe.
love the girl on the gator!!! :-)
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