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Palm Beach, Florida, circa 1904. "Alligator Joe and his pets." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
The NY Times of March 3, 1907, gave Alligator Joe's real name as Warren Frazier, and described his shtick as wrestling an alligator in the ocean, then climbing on its back and riding it back to shore.
And an advertisement in the Times for April 11, 1907, remarked on what beautiful leather goods could be made from the hides of any creature like "the dusty and sleepy alligators on 'Alligator Joe's' farm at Palm Beach."
Our Pilot Club will have a historical tour April 24-25 in Evergreen Cemetery. Joe and Sadie will be part of the tour including 21 other stops. Guides will lead you to dramatists and storytellers bringing history to life.
"Alligator Joe" Campbell was the originator of alligator farming in America and the owner of the former Florida Alligator Farm in Jacksonville. More here.
He was one among hundreds of bicycle chair drivers employed by the hotels to convey guests around the island. Aside from trolleys and rail cars, bicycle chairs were the only wheeled vehicles allowed on Palm Beach at the turn of the century.
That's a hotel porter's cap. The porters drove (or pushed) guests around in those wicker rolling chairs.
I see supper, shoes, and a purse!
Curious about the badge on the black man's cap. Any ideas?
That granny in black seems awfully eager to get a close-up look at those gators. Apparently, not all Victorian ladies had overly refined sensibilities! She puts me in mind of Tweety Bird's owner -- and who's that in the bowler -- Calvin Coolidge?
Long tapered snout, and toothy smile.
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