Uncovering nycs sewer alligator legend, fact or fiction. They have been spotted everywhere including in peoples back yards, the bronx river, and even coming up through peoples toilets. In robert daleys book the world beneath the city he comments that one night a sewer worker in new york city was shocked to find a large albino alligator swimming toward him. Janet landry borden sewers are dark and scary places common resting spots for some of the most unbecoming things. Sewer alligators are said to be alligators living in the sewers. But there are reasons to believe that sewer rats are getting bigger, thanks, perhaps unexpectedly, to an increase in recycling.
They are often thought to be pets released into the sewer due to them growing too large. Apr 19, 2017 this is a well known myth about giant albino alligators living in the sewers of new york city. So, to be clear, when we say a grain of truth, we mean just that. Equipped with a proclamation from the manhattan borough president and an enlarged clipping from the ny times, i was there to announce the. This celebrated urban legend begins in 1935, with a new york times story about an alligator found in harlem. Although he has written on a variety of subjects from ice cream to kite flying to electronic warfare, he now concentrates on writing about the. Alligators in the sewer, a comprehensive collection of urban legends, compiles hundreds of thse wild and entertaining tales. Most often reported in new york city and other popular cities, they have also been found in states where alligators are common, such as florida. New york city sewer alligators urban legend debunked. E and l lines makes reference to the old legend of alligators in the sewers. Aug 23, 2010 at least one alligator really does live in new york citys sewers. Takes the writing process step by step with a focus on using facts and examples as support.
Several years later, according to robert daleys 1959 book, the world beneath the city, a colony of alligators had settled comfortably into the sewers of new york. Are there alligators in the sewers of the city of new york. Coleman would find that in 1938 five alligators were caught in new rochelle, new york, and sightings of alligatorsinthesewers in new york city were recorded in the years 1948 and 1966. Tales of giant reptiles in the citys sewers are one of the citys most enduring urban.
The sewer alligator is a giant alligator that has been reported to thrive in the new york city sewer systems. Mystery in history alligators in the sewers part 1. Mar 28, 2011 history puts alligators in nyc sewers exclusive photo. For the past four years, every 9th february has seen the celebration of the citys annual alligators in the sewers day. Despite these few, very scattered examples, its a myth. When these animals started to grow and got hard to keep people threw them in the sewers. According to the tale in 1930s wealthy people brought baby alligators back from florida vacation. Oct 23, 2009 urban adventures fishing for alligators in the sewers of new york city. Rumors that alligators populate the sewers of new york city have circulated. In the book, daley recalls a story told to him by new york citys superintendent of. Urban adventures fishing for alligators in the sewers of. Avenue theatre much more than adult fare, childrens theater needs to awe the. 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.
Are there really alligators in the new york city sewers. Where did the rumour of alligators living in new york city sewers come from. May 11, 2016 this is one of the united states most well known urban legends. Like the alligator story, the pets were released by irresponsible owners and went on to find niches in new ecosystems. 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. Alligators in the sewers the real quail bell magazine.
Although experts claimed alligators cant reproduce or live in the sewer system as it. They are the alligators that supposedly infest new york citys sewer system, slithering through the bowels just under the street level, feeding on rats and rubbish and terrorizing sewer workers. Moving on, its time to turn our attentions to a man named teddy may. Daleys source was a retired sewer official named teddy may.
The book behind the seweralligator legend the new york. Its a popular urban legend that there are alligators in the new york city sewer. It is probably one of the most common urban legends. This supposedly provides a source of water which has similar qualities to the florida everglades, a prime alligator habitat. Urban adventures fishing for alligators in the sewers of new york city. 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. Reproduced with permission from the peoples almanac series of books.
But dont spend to much time in the new york city sewers. Jun 03, 2011 do alligators really live in new york sewers. This extremely popular urban legend seems to have originated from a few isolated incidents in. The truth about alligators in the sewers of new york the.
But, the legend of alligators in the sewer seems to serve some other purposes. Dissenters view them as urban legends, though many alligators have been discovered. Giant alligators living under new york full documentary alex neil. 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. 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. Is there any truth to the longheld legend that new york citys sewers are. The truth about alligators in the sewers of new york. Its long been rumored there are thriving colonies of alligators lurking in new york citys sewer system. For more than three decades, may held the position of commissioner of sewers in new york. One of the bronze sculptures on the station makes reference to the old legend of alligators in the sewers. Is this myth true, are there really alligators swimming around in the nyc sewer systemheres the info i found.
I found the first such newspaper article, from 1907. It was begun to protect the albino marijuana crops that grow in the nyc sewers. The day i found an alligator in new york us news the. Sewer alligator stories date back to the late 1920s and early 1930s. In the particular video i watched, a robotic camera goes down below the city streets of leeds, england. At right is michael miscione, the manhattan borough historian. They are the alligators that supposedly infest new york citys sewer. Jul 22, 2008 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.
Yes, they really have found alligators in the new york sewer. 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. The measure will not help new york city control sewage spills or deal with the other problems of its massive sewer system. History is putting alligators in new york city sewers. It was once a fad among new yorkers returning home from florida vacations to bring back baby alligators for their children to raise as pets. Urban legends are the modernday version of the fairy talesomething that originates from a possible grain of truth and is exacerbated until it no longer bears any resemblance to reality. 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.
How did the alligators in the nyc sewer system myth come. Yes, they really have found alligators in the new york. Cops apprehended an 18inch gator that crawled out of an overflowing astoria storm drain and hunkered down beneath a parked car. In a 1982 interview with the new york times, sewer bureau spokesman john t.
When i started this research, i didnt think i would find an actual jungle land, or any evidence of real gators in the new york city sewers. In the newt york, newt york episode of neds newt, ned is excited to go to new york city for the weekend because an xylophone note is on sale there, but his parents cancel it after hearing the urban legend that alligators live in the sewers. The earliest published reference to alligators in the sewer in what jan harold brunvand refers to as the standardized form of the urban legend baby alligator pets, flushed, thrived in sewers can be found in the 1959 book, the world beneath the city, a history of public utilities in new york city written by robert daley. Jean shepherd wor radio alligators in sewers duration. They are based upon reports of alligator sightings in rather unorthodox locations, in particular new york city. Numerous videos on youtube display fully grown alligators in sewer lines. By various methods, including poisoning, flushing out, and even shooting, the alligators were exhumed within several months, and there has not. He traced the evolution of manhattan urban legends alligators in the sewer.
Since much of chaos takes place in the tunnels and sewers deep under new york, it was only natural that my hero cy reed would come facetoface with one of these fabled creatures. Not according to salvatore condoluci, 92, who in 1935 claimed to have caught and killed an 8footlong gator in a sewer on 123rd. The alligators survive and reside within the sewer and reproduce, feeding on rats and rubbish, growing to huge sizes and striking fear into sewer workers. This opinion writing packet will help students form and write their opinions based on the evidence. Oct 20, 2003 the measure will not help new york city control sewage spills or deal with the other problems of its massive sewer system. There silas encounters an underground alligator community, and soon assists in the planning, preparation, and migration of the great escape from the sewers. We have no record of alligators in the nyc sewer system. Granted, these gators are not necessarily in the new york city sewers, there is proof that they can live down there. History puts alligators in nyc sewers exclusive photo.
Giant alligators living under new york full documentary. The sewers of new york are swarming with alligators. Trumping all myths, however, is the fact that alligators wouldnt survive long in sewers. Undercity new york city urban exploration w steve duncan. The detritus is so rich in nutrients that an amazing strain of reefer has grown, no longer needing chlorophyll, the pot is so potent because of the nutrients that those of us in the know had to develop a cover story to keep the rest of you from discovering our crop. New york city may have been blanketed with a snowstorm on thursday, but under those snowstrewn streets, legions of mythical alligators.
Coleman would find that in 1938 five alligators were caught in new rochelle, new york, and sightings of alligators in the sewers in new york city were recorded in the years 1948 and 1966. The book behind the seweralligator legend the new york times. 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. The day i found an alligator in new york us news the guardian. 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. Sewer alligator monsterquest wiki fandom powered by wikia. Are the alligators in new york city sewers just an urban legend. New york city is a big place, and known for its strangeness. Trash, rats, sewage and who knows what else lurk under the streets in the big apple. The truth about alligators in the sewers of new york the new.
Ned and newton go to nyc anyway, and try to blend in with the locals until they fall into a manhole. Nov 19, 2015 when i started this research, i didnt think i would find an actual jungle land, or any evidence of real gators in the new york city sewers, but it turns out that there is a good but of potential. Could alligators survive in the sewers of new york city. Sep 07, 2012 alligators in the sewers legend has been celebrated in cartoons, comic books, childrens books, art, literature, and films such as alligator 1980, directed by lewis teague. The seminal new york city sewer gator event came on feb.
There might not be alligators in new york citys sewers, but there are large populations of wild animals in the u. Most often reported in new york city and other popular cities, they have also been found in states where alligators are common, such as. The city will be on its own when it comes to maintaining aged pipes, getting rid of environmentally harmful nitrogen, and dispelling the persistent belief that alligators live in its sewers. In the end, alligator populations probably wouldnt fare too well in new york city sewers. Alligators in the sewer and 222 other urban legends. This film follows the attempts of a police officer and a herpetologist to stop a giant alligator that is killing humans in the sewers of chicago. As i threaded my way back to my home in manhattan through the. Nov 01, 2011 of course, all this is not to say that sewer alligators do live in new york only that its possible. Paul dickson is the author of more than 45 nonfiction books and hundreds of magazine articles. Meyer berger, who wrote the about new york column for the times, recounted in 1957 that in the mid1930s, sewer alligators seemed to thrive below the pavement in rather frightening numbers. 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.
They were destroyed systematically and the threat of an alligator invasion died away. Alligators in the sewers are neither rumor, folktale or myth, but a real part of the underground. 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. Yes, they really have found alligators in the new york sewer system. We now rinse packaging out, rather than letting food scraps go to landfill. Alligators in the sewers are neither rumor, folktale nor myth, but a real part of the modern urban underground netherworld. One source for the story is robert daleys 1959 book the world. As with new york s alligators, this problem is apparently the fault of a particular class. May heard all the stories of numerous, fearsome alligators roaming the lower levels of new york, but dismissed them. It was in 1935 that the animals were first reported to superintendent of sewers teddy may.