疯狂，酷#iamamariner故事 - 第1部分

Toddler stares down alligators without fence. Public Domain – LA Public Library

My grandmother’s cousin had a pet alligator.

Think this story is odd, or going nowhere fast? Bear with me.

He lived in Seattle and bought a baby alligator on vacation, circa 1950. The alligator had its own bathroom, and when it got too big for the bathtub, he lined a hope chest in metal and made it a bigger tub. It ate two whole chickens a day and after several years, when it outgrew that chest, he gave it to the zoo.I kid you not. Call my grandma and ask –~~555~~…实际上，请不要打电话给我的祖母。

这是我祖母在我小时候告诉我的一个故事。我一直认为这个故事被夸大了。也许他有一个宠物蜥蜴，我的奶奶认为像鳄鱼一样大，或者是类似的东西。但是，这个故事仍然困扰着我。不过，就在上周，我发现这个故事是合法的，而且不是那个疯狂的。或更确切地说，当时有很多人 *疯了。

In fact, pet alligators where in vogue in Los Angeles, California.这一趋势在全国蔓延,在勒ast baby alligators were packaged and shipped all over the country – because of two men, “Alligator” Joe Campbell and Francis Earnest.

Women packaging baby alligators, circa 1930. Public Domain – LA Public Library

These men started the California Alligator Farm in Los Angeles, California, in 1907 to breed, showcase, and harvest the reptiles.

Entry for California Alligator Farm. Public Domain – LA Public Library

Admission cost a whopping 25 cents (about $6.50 today）and visitors could see the animals from birth – in incubator houses – to full grown, in a series of 20 ponds on the property. Some of the ‘gators were even taught to do basic stunts, like climb and ride a water slide, though sources suggest that they did not, in fact, like this activity.I wonder why?

经验丰富的鳄鱼摔跤手也表现商店ws with some of the older and larger residents, like Barataria Ben, a 265 pound creature “who [was] about 135 years old”, or El Diablo who “[was] estimated to have attained the venerable age of 150 years”, or “Louisiana Joe, the patriarch of the farm, [who was] said to have about two hundred years to his credit”. A quick Google search today will tell you that the American alligator will only live to be 30-50 years old。But that didn’t stop the farm from boasting, “Here are to be seen hundreds of alligators of all sizes from little babies, hardly the size of a lizard, up to huge monsters, 500 years old or more!”忽略族长与广告宣传的年龄之间的年龄差异，访客当然会做到。

认为这与您想进入这些掠食者一样接近？然后现在转身，因为您知道公园还提供了什么吗？鳄鱼骑行。是的，您可以正确阅读。

不仅是成年人的鳄鱼骑行。您的孩子和孙子，侄女和侄子，年轻的兄弟姐妹和宠物也有机会。

但是，让我们进一步走一步 - 欢迎您的婴儿小吃……而不是那么少……‘鳄鱼也是如此。Reptilian babysitters anyone?

Infant with baby alligators. Public Domain – USC Library

而且，我们还没有完成！一些很大胆的人在农场游泳。

或者，有野餐！

Women picnic at California Alligator Farm, circa 1920. Public Domain – LA Public Library

但是，也许最可爱的是喂动物的瓶子。

我的意思是，真的，谁认为这是个好主意？OSHA，动物权利团体和律师今天都喜欢这个公园。*她讽刺地说。*尽管我承认我两岁的孩子实际上会喜欢这个地方！他的最爱是鳄鱼或“啊，徒”。你知道他们要“ chod”吗？我离题…

Now that we have metaphorically visited the California Alligator Farm, it is time to stop in the gift shop on our way out. There you will see postcards of some of your favorite memories.

If you’re interested, you can buy a pet to take home – babies cost between $1.25 and $2.50.

Woman walks pet alligator, circa 1950. Public Domain – LA Public Library

But, if a pet alligator isn’t quite your speed, you can settle for a nice alligator skin handbag (为了她）, alligator tooth cufflinks (为了他），或清洁的鳄鱼卵（对于孩子）。正如1910年的评论所说：“所以在这个酷儿行业中，有些浪费了”！

而且，如果您只是无法获得这个鳄鱼公园的足够，那么在附近有住房！居民报告说，鳄鱼用b-flat讲话，喜欢晚上聊天。有时，当公园泛滥时，甚至可能会进入您的后院或游泳池。虽然这在佛罗里达州可能是 *正常 *，但在洛杉矶，这并不常见。

In 1953, the park was moved to Buena Vista, California; and, with low visitation, it closed in 1984.Yes, if you are reading this, the farm was likely open in your, or your parent’s, lifetime! Although I am sure much had changed.

I present you this story for three reasons.

1）这证明了我奶奶的堂兄并不疯狂。

2）I think we should build a water slide for alligators in The Mariners’ Park (有人吗？）

3）拜访的大胆个人，或dare I say it）很喜欢，这个公园可能把我们的#iamaMariner广告系列。In fact, they give me the idea to find other interesting #mariners; keep a look out for the next installment in the series!

P.S.In case you read through this blog thinking I have a very active imagination and/or impressive photoshop skills (my husband says he will vouch for my lack of creativity呢Text him and ask –~~555~~…实际上，请不要给我丈夫发短信），看看这个视频。No, my imagination and my beginner photoshop course did not give me the art necessary to bamboozle you so epically。另外，这是我的消息来源：

鳄鱼和水滑梯

疯狂，酷#iamamariner故事 - 第1部分

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