Question: What city in West Texas was once home to as many as seven alligators that lived in a downtown park?
Answer: El Paso. San Jacinto Plaza became known as “Alligator Park” when live alligators were introduced to a central pond around 1883, creating a quirky local attraction. An alligator named Sally was once the object of a weight-guessing contest. In 1952, an alligator named Oscar was hauled to Texas Western College and placed in a professor’s office as a prank. A series of injuries to the reptiles led to their removal in the 1960s. Today, the plaza retains alligator-themed art and fountains as a nod to this unusual chapter in its history.
