Recently, social media platforms have been buzzing with reported sightings of an alligator in Riverview Park at Dobson and Rio Salado in Mesa. This park, known for its serene lakes and inviting atmosphere, is a popular destination for hundreds of children who frequent the park daily to enjoy its various amenities.

However, rather than a living alligator, pictures circulating on social media suggest it might be a replica, potentially placed there by the Parks Department. While in other places, this might be seen as a humorous novelty, Mesa has a unique sensitivity to anything alligator-related, rooted in a history spanning over 60 years.

Alligator Farm and Urban Legends

The origin of this sensitivity can be traced back to the mid-1950s when a young man from Christian Pass, Mississippi, named Jack Adams, brought a collection of alligators and exotic animals to Mesa. He established the Jack Adams Alligator Farm, an unusual business located just east of the Starlight Motel.

The presence of alligators in the desert was an oddity, earning Adams an appearance on the popular television show “What’s My Line?” in 1955. The incredulous celebrity panel nearly couldn’t believe his story, but Adams walked away with a $50 prize, equivalent to about $561 today.

For almost a decade, the alligator farm was a thriving attraction, even selling three 10-foot gators to the Maytag Zoo (now the Phoenix Zoo) in 1962. However, in 1963, Jack Adams decided to leave the reptilian enterprise for a completely different pursuit—religion. He leased the business to Dale Logiston, a reptile dealer from Fort Worth, Texas.

Alligator Farm Abandonment and the Great “Alligator Farm Raid”

With Adams no longer there to maintain the allure, the business declined rapidly. Logiston, faced with dwindling interest, transferred valuable specimens to Texas, closed the gate, and walked away, leaving over 200 hibernating alligators behind.

This abandonment became an opportunity for Mesa High School boys, who broke into the attraction and spread the hibernating alligators around town. The news of gators on the loose in Mesa gained national coverage, sparking a series of events known as the “Alligator Farm Raid.”

The Alligator Farm Raid: A Teenage Escapade

Word spread quickly that the alligators were “free for the taking.” Excitement among fun-loving teenagers led to the decision to set the animals free, as one student recalled, “One of our industrious friends concluded that the poor gators would soon starve without some attention.”

Over a weekend, a small group of teenagers moved all the gators from the zoo enclosure to local lakes and canals, leading to a daring escapade that caught the attention of the nation. Walter Cronkite even closed out a broadcast with the news of Mesa being overrun by alligators.

Enduring Myths and Today’s Alligator Sighting

This part-myth, part-fact story of alligators in Mesa’s canals and lakes endures to this day. The recent sighting of what appears to be an alligator in Riverview Park reignites the city’s sensitivity to alligator-related tales. Whether it’s a replica or a real alligator, the legend lives on, connecting Mesa’s present to its quirky past.