Believe it or not, the city of new york embraces the gator drama, even going as far as to dedicate february 9 th as alligators in the sewers day. The day i found an alligator in new york us news the guardian. It was in 1935 that the animals were first reported to superintendent of sewers teddy may. The day i found an alligator in new york us news the. Yes, they really have found alligators in the new york. Oct 23, 2009 urban adventures fishing for alligators in the sewers of new york city. Nov 23, 2009 tyler hicksthe new york times a whimsical bronze sculpture by tom otterness in the 14th street subway station on the a, c, e and l lines makes reference to the old legend of alligators in the sewers.
How did the alligators in the nyc sewer system myth come. However, the story of the sewer gator in new york city is well known and various versions have been told. Alligators in the sewers are neither rumor, folktale or myth, but a real part of the underground. They have been spotted everywhere including in peoples back yards, the bronx river, and even coming up through peoples toilets. A lost alligator in an east harlem sewer ephemeral new york. And two of the men who assisted in getting the alligator out of the sewer say that there are many more alligators down there. Urban legend holds that there have been several cases of people releasing or losing their pet alligators in the sewer, where they have supposedly grown to be over 10 feet long with a weight of over 800 pounds. An alligator was found in staten island on july 23, 2019. Alligators have been reported in the new york sewers i ndigenous to the amazonian basin, the piranha is a freshwater fish which can range in size from 5in to 20in depending on the species. No, definitely not, but there was an alligator roaming a manhattan street yesterday until police caught up with him. I found the first such newspaper article, from 1907. Originally stemming all the way back to the 1930s, but really taking hold of the. Located right next to the astoria boulevard train station, belief nyc offers premium cut garments, accessories, and apparel. So it was little surprise that a massive crowd of new yorkers gathered sunday afternoon at newton avenue and 29th street, northeast of midtown manhattan in the heart of queens right down the street.
Being kids, and a flushed gator being alive, the logical step was that the gator would live in the sewer. There are now two locations with astoria new york being the founding location. Aug 23, 2010 at least one alligator really does live in new york citys sewers. New york cbsnewyork an alligator was captured in staten island on tuesday, just days after a baby gator was found in a long island pool. In 1935, teddy may, the superintendent of sewers of new york city, discovered that there was a large alligator population living in the sewer system. This extremely popular urban legend seems to have originated from a few isolated incidents in. Alligators in the sewers alligators, small boys and at least one horse have accidentally swum in the sewers of new york. The encounter was written up in the new york times the following day, giving birth to nycs greatest true. Alligator in the sewers urban myth its a popular urban legend that there are alligators in the new york city sewer. There silas encounters an underground alligator community, and soon assists in the planning, preparation, and migration of the great escape from the sewers. Belief nyc in astoria, queens is a wellknown lifestyle and skateboard brand in the area. He traced the evolution of manhattan urban legends alligators in the sewer. They are often thought to be pets released into the sewer due to them growing too large.
Some of these hastily disposed of saurians managed to survive and breed in the dank manhattan sewer system. This was just west of the bethesda fountain on the 72nd street cross way. Legend has it that alligators live in the new york city sewers. Sewer alligator monsterquest wiki fandom powered by wikia. Mar 27, 2009 a lost alligator in an east harlem sewer every new yorker has heard urban legends about alligators skulking inside the citys warm, wet sewer system. The day i found an alligator in new york tales of giant reptiles in the citys sewers are one of the citys most enduring urban myths. Alligator found roaming new york city street complex. The truth about alligators in the sewers of new york the new. Nov 24, 2009 are the alligators in new york city sewers just an urban legend. Could alligators survive in the sewers of new york city.
This story of an alligator, named silas by the tourist family who adopted, then discarded him, begins in florida swamps but soon moves to new york city. As i threaded my way back to my home in manhattan through the. The urban legends of sewer dwelling big apple reptiles are known worldwide as are the myths of alligators coming up through the toilets. During one particularly bad year mr copencoffer became frustrated with the lack of work he was receiving. So, to be clear, when we say a grain of truth, we mean just that. The sewer alligator is a giant alligator that has been reported to thrive in the new york city sewer systems. Wood stave pipe used at the garoga river plant in fulton, new york. Thursday, february 9th is alligators in the sewers day, an unofficial annual holiday. On monday july 22, 20 a live eight foot alligator was pulled from a sewer near new yorks central park. Operation and maintenance of sewer collection systems nys.
Jun 03, 2011 do alligators really live in new york sewers. Oct 09, 2015 in the early 1800s there was a man named karl copencoffer, a lawyer who made a decent living for himself. The narberth bookshop offers all new books, densely but neatly packed into less than square feet. Do alligators live in new york city sewers sewer gators originally stemming all the way back to the 1930s, but really taking hold of the collective imagination of americans in the 1950s, stories have persisted over the decades that alligators have been spottedand livein the sewers of new york city mainly, but in other cities, as well. A florida man overdosed on methamphetamine before his body was found partially eaten by alligators, according to an autopsy. Tales of giant reptiles in the citys sewers are one of the citys most enduring. Yes, they really have found alligators in the new york sewer system. Oct 28, 2012 this feature is not available right now. At right is michael miscione, the manhattan borough historian.
The next day, the new york times published an account of the event, headlined alligator found in uptown sewer, which helped fuel the urban legend, mr. Exactly 75 years earlier, on february 9th 1935, new york citys greatest urban legend was born, and the nyt story, which ran the following day, proved that legend was true. New york, new york in 1935 an alligator crawled out of a manhole in harlem and was promptly beaten to death feb. By various methods, including poisoning, flushing out, and even shooting, the alligators were exhumed within several months, and there has not been a verified sighting since then.
Takes the writing process step by step with a focus on using facts and examples as support. For the past four years, every 9th february has seen the celebration of the citys annual alligators in the sewers day. Where does the story that there are alligators in new york. The hard pine wood staves used in pipes here were in good condition after 50. The next, and most famous, came three years later, when two teenagers shovelling snow in east harlem came across one nosing its way out of a manhole. Operation and maintenance of sewer collection systems. A directtovideo sequel was released in 1991, entitled alligator ii. Not according to salvatore condoluci, 92, who in 1935 claimed to have caught and killed an 8footlong gator in a sewer on 123rd. Its cold down there most of the time, they point out freezing cold during the winter and alligators require a warm environment yearround to survive, much less reproduce and burgeon into colonies. Alligators cannot survive in a bacterial environment. It is probably one of the most common urban legends. The sewers of new york are swarming with alligators. The boys and the horse seem not to have enjoyed the experience, but the alligators throve on it.
The book behind the seweralligator legend the new york. Dec 25, 2017 if you ever visit new york city, you might hear tales about alligators let loose in the sewers. When these animals started to grow and got hard to keep people threw them in the sewers. Also, chris ordered chef to ask the alligator s signature for it to appear on television. The original power plant built in 1850 and taken out of commission in 1903.
I grew up hearing tales of huge alligators that supposedly cruised the sewers of nyc, warmed by the steamy air and gorging on rats, roaches and garbage. Actually many years ago new yorkers who traveled to florida to enjoy the warm weather would bring back baby alligators for pets for their children. And while this discussion has focused on new york city, recent accounts seem to indicate that alligators are also prowling the sewers of other major cities. King gator in all dogs go to heaven is a biglipped alligator yeah, that biglipped alligator living in the new orleans sewers, worshipped by the sewer rats the film the wild saw the zoo animals meeting up with a pair of alligators in the sewer who actually turned out to be friendly and helped the heroes find the way to the statue of liberty the secret life of pets has the flushed pets. Are the alligators in new york city sewers just an urban legend. Therefore, there would be a lot of flushed gators living in the nyc sewer system. Tribute to nycs sewer alligator, new york, new york. The seminal new york city sewergator event came on feb. The book behind the seweralligator legend the new york times. The sewers flood when it rains and the alligators would drown. All these alligators found in and around new york city, but only. He has written a few books on the subject and even appeared on the history. The account took what had been a rumor propped up by a few isolated occurrences and helped transform it into one of those cherished facts about new york that dont have to be true to be endlessly repeated.
Trumping all myths, however, is the fact that alligators wouldnt survive long in sewers. It ate team amazons boat, but they managed to escape. On february 10, 1935, the new york times reported on a 7foot, 125 pound alligator turning up in the sewers near 123rd street in harlem. Alligators living in new york sewers real chupacabra. Cops apprehended an 18inch gator that crawled out of an overflowing astoria storm drain and hunkered down beneath a parked car. Alligators were introduced to new york citys subway system in the 1800s to combat the rat problem.
A model of an alligator emerging from a sewer manhole in a mall. Although experts claimed alligators cant reproduce or live in the sewer system as it would be freezing in the winter and alligators always need warmth to survive and they could survive eating rats and trash if they never surfaced. This supposedly provides a source of water which has similar qualities to the florida everglades, a prime alligator habitat. In a 1982 interview with the new york times, sewer bureau spokesman john t. The new york police departments 34th precinct found a threefoot alligator wandering the streets of manhattan, thursday. Apr 19, 2017 this is a well known myth about giant albino alligators living in the sewers of new york city. The legend of alligators in the sewers is most commonly traced to new york city. This particular alligator had been coming out and had taken several peoples dogs. According to the new york times archives, the first sighting of a suspected sewer alligator was in 1932, when one was found lounging on the banks of the bronx river. It was on this date back in 1935 that a live 125pound alligator was pulled from the new york city sewer system. In 1935 an alligator crawled out of a manhole in harlem and was promptly beaten to death feb. Do alligators really live in the sewers of new york city.
The autopsy report released wednesday determined that 45yearold. Sewer inspectors first reported seeing alligators about 1935, teddy may being superintendent at the time. The alligators eat the rats and all is well, except that the city regularly needs to pump out the alligators waste. They are based upon reports of alligator sightings in rather unorthodox locations, in particular new york city. According to the story, one salvatore condoluci was the ringleader. Greeting cards are really the only sideline of note here. But finding or putting an alligator in a new york city sewer does not mean that decades of stories about giant alligators in sewers are true. New york city is a big place, and known for its strangeness. The article was titled alligator found in uptown sewer. Oct 17, 2012 alligators in the sewers everyone knows this one.
With themes that run the gamut from funny to sick, risque to informative, frightening to disgusting and bizaree, urban folklore can chill spines, spark smiles or turn stomachs, aand the stories are remarkable for their uncanny ability to travel by word of mouthoften. Sewer alligators are said to be alligators living in the sewers. New york city may have been blanketed with a snowstorm on thursday, but under those snowstrewn streets, legions of mythical alligators. Cops apprehended an 18inch gator that crawled out of an overflowing astoria storm. Dissenters view them as urban legends, though many alligators have been discovered.
This celebrated urban legend begins in 1935, with a new york times story about an alligator found in harlem. They are the alligators that supposedly infest new york citys sewer. Set in chicago, the film follows a police officer and a reptile expert to track a giant murderous sewer alligator, flushed down the toilet years earlier, that is attacking residents after escaping from the sewers the film received praise from critics for its intentional satirizing. Jul 25, 2015 are the urban legends about alligators in the new york sewers true. While that never happened, there are, oddly enough, shades of truth to the story. At least one alligator really does live in new york citys sewers.
Did you know there are gigantic albino alligators living in the sewers of new york city. Piranha fish found in chichester sewer as water company. Alligators in new york sewers performed by radioheads thom yorke as an encore at the old roman amphitheatre in caesaria, israel, on july 9, 2000. Sewer alligator stories date back to the late 1920s and early 1930s. In the popular view, alligators in sewers are a significant problem in large cities with older, larger sewer systems, particularly where storm water enters the system. The truth about alligators in the sewers of new york the. Alligators in the sewers are neither rumor, folktale nor myth, but a real part of the modern urban underground netherworld. Urban adventures fishing for alligators in the sewers of. A 26inch alligator was found swimming in kensico reservoir, in westchester, ny part of the new york city water supply system. That conversation on a hells kitchen stoop about whether giant reptiles patrolled the city sewers was made public 50 years ago in mr. But there actually is at least one record of a gator spotted underground. Originally stemming all the way back to the 1930s, but really taking hold of the collective imagination of americans in the 1950s, stories have persisted over the decades that alligators have been spottedand livein the sewers of new york city mainly, but in other cities, as well.
On february 9, 1935, a group of teenagers caught and killed an eightfoot, 125pound alligator in a manhole on east 123rd street. Some of those alligators packed up and swam away in search of peace and quiet. This doesnt mean alligators dont live in nyc or cant possibly be found in the sewers. Now, this is simply from my personal memory which i why im asking for verification before i start to edit anything, but i remember during a trip to the central park zoo in new york in the late 1990searly 2000s there was a caiman a reptile related to the crocodile, appearing like a catsized alligator on exhibit in the zoo, near the. Are there really alligators in the new york city sewers. Feb 15, 2015 i filmed this a few years ago when i was walking across central park one evening.
This opinion writing packet will help students form and write their opinions based on the evidence. This is a new song youve never heard before called alligators in new york sewers and its kind of a silly song. Herpetologists poohpooh the very idea of alligators thriving in the new york city sewer system. Youths shoveling snow see the animal churning in icy water. Most often reported in new york city and other popular cities. We have no record of alligators in the nyc sewer system. New york city, then as now, had a lot of sewer pipes and a lot of parents. When the alligators grew too large, they were dropped in the citys sewer system. Do alligators live in new york city sewers sewer gators. Alligators in the sewer and 222 other urban legends. The truth about alligators in the sewers of new york abscbn news. How did the alligators in the nyc sewer system myth come about.
Uncovering nycs sewer alligator legend, fact or fiction. This alligator is significantly larger and lighter than the alligators seen so far in total drama. In the 1950s and 60s, huge numbers of baby spectacled caimans caiman crocodylus, dubbed alligators, were. This opinion writing prompt will help students form and write their opinions based on the evidence. Yes, they really have found alligators in the new york sewer.
Like what does the babysitter do after you go to bed. Tales date back to the 1930s when word spread of tourists visiting florida took as alligators as pets. Alligators dont live very well in a sewer environment. No, there is no thriving colony of alligators albino or not living in the new york city sewers.
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