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In 1901, there were baby alligators —yes, alligators 
— in the #Boston Public Garden. People fed them live rodents 
for amusement. https://trib.al/qY1n2zI
— in the #Boston Public Garden. People fed them live rodents for amusement. https://trib.al/qY1n2zI
Here's a story that appeared in the Boston Post, in August that year. Residents would reportedly trap rats and bring them to the "lily pond" — or basin — near the Arlington Street entrance. Then the "fun" would begin...
The Post's story about the feeding frenzies was... pretty detailed, to say the least.
Old newspaper archives are sort of weird, so there was a bit of flip-flopping about whether there were 3 or 4 alligators. But one report said 3 came from a woman in Charlestown who “became afraid of them," and the 4th from a guy from Chelsea.
The alligators were then under the care of William Doogue, the city's superintendent of Common and Public Grounds. He oversaw the Public Garden from 1878 to 1906, according to @FOPG. Here's a great post about Doogue, who was like *the* horticulturist. https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/2019/10/16/the-art-of-planting-the-gardeners-of-bostons-public-garden-october-16-2019/
Most stories mention the city feeding them steak once per week. But a few reports — like the one in the Post — described how residents loved to toss in rodents, biscuits(?!) and frogs. This, of course, didn't sit well with everyone. (These from the #Boston Globe & the Post)
(These from the #Boston Globe & the Post)
One day after those stories ran, the Post had another story saying the "fun" seemed to cease, perhaps because the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals got involved? Only an "urchin" — a mischievous child — tossed it a mouse that day.
Floridian beasts these were not. And they didn't lurk in the lagoon near the Swan Boats, so far as I can tell. Instead, they were in a "basin" near Comm Ave./Arlington entrance. Here's Doogue's map from 1901 from @bplmaps. The basin is now a fountain called "Boy & Bird"
I'll shut up in a minute but still a couple fun anecdotes. Obvs. these 'gators can't survive a #Boston winter. So, they spent the cold months in a "hothouse" in #Dorchester, then came out in "warmer months" until they were removed from the basin again in October.
Getting the 'gators out of the pond was quite the affair. People dropped what they were doing to come watch. Gardeners would put a bridge over the basin, then wrangle the 'gators with a pole and hook. From The Globe in October 1901:
Hubbub about the 'gators mostly to happened around 1901. But a small blurb in 1906 did indicate they were still in the Garden then, too, but maybe moved. And a second story said they'd been there at least 3 summers. Doogue died in 1906, so who knows where they went... *End Rant*
