Before Tiger King shocked the nation into a collective “WTF!?”, there was the California Alligator Farm, where, for the reasonable price of 25 cents, you and your entire family could spend the day petting, riding, or even wrestling alligators.
In 1907, Joe “Alligator” Campbell and his partner, Francis Earnest, opened their park on a sprawling twenty-pool plot of land in the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles. The unusual attraction boasted over 1,000 alligators, ranging in size from a few inches to over 15 feet long. Most of the animals were raised and “trained” from eggs, with the original breeding pairs captured from the wild. Earnest also operated a similarly themed ostrich farm across the street, in case alligators weren’t your thing.
Visitors to the park were treated to bizarre and often thrilling performances: alligators eating live chickens, sliding down a fifteen-foot chute, or wrestling with trainers. By far the most popular attraction was Billy, one of the farm’s oldest and most famous residents, known for gaping his toothy mouth whenever meat dangled near him. Billy even made his way to Hollywood, starring in dozens of films between 1910 and 1940. The park’s promotional materials claimed that some of their alligators were as old as 500 years—only a slight exaggeration of their actual 40-to-50-year lifespan.
Visitors to the park were treated with unique performances where the alligators would eat live chickens, ride a fifteen-foot slide, or wrestle with trainers. Far and away the most popular attraction in the park was one of the older animals, Billy, who was fond of gapping his toothy mouth any time meat was dangled near him. Billy even managed to find his way to Hollywood, starring in dozens of movies between 1910 and 1940. Interestingly, the park brochure claimed that some of the animals were as old as 500 years, only a tiny exaggeration of their typical 40 to 50-year life span.
Guests were encouraged to pet, ride, feed, and even swim with the alligators, the only rule being that they not harm them. The gift shop sold baby alligators as pets, and for the especially brave, there was even a specially designed gator saddle for children to ride the creatures.
It’s ironic that urban legends persist about alligators lurking in the sewers of New York, when in Los Angeles, full-grown gators regularly turned up in streams, reservoirs, and even backyard swimming pools after heavy rains. The farm’s fencing was notoriously inadequate, and containment seemed more of a suggestion than an enforceable practice.
By the early 1950s, attendance at the farm had begun to decline. In 1953, after nearly half a century in Lincoln Heights, the farm relocated to Buena Park, California, just down the road from Knott’s Berry Farm. The move was meant to attract a fresh wave of tourists, but interest continued to wane over the following decades. By 1984, annual attendance had dropped below 50,000 visitors, and the California Alligator Farm closed its doors for good, ending a bizarre chapter in amusement park history.
Though long gone, the farm’s legacy lingers in California folklore. Stories of escaped alligators turning up in storm drains and reservoirs persisted for years, and to this day, visitors to Buena Park occasionally wonder if a descendant of Billy still lurks in the shadows.
Jason Roberts is a Seattle-based author noted for his acclaimed western horror series The Dead Wind Trilogy as well as other works of cosmic horror infused with historical fiction. His web-based series, Dark Distractions examines paranormal mysteries, unexplained phenomena, and all things strange.
