Most alligators in Mississippi can be found in the southern two thirds of the state. "There is no question that the coastal region, especially the Pascagoula River, is home to some of the largest alligators in Mississippi," Flynt said. Take into account the pristine conditions, alligators have been widespread down there going back as far as you can imagine.". As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I was born at the South Mississippi State Hospital, known by most people as the charity hospital. Mississippi's woods are filled with true wonders of nature, but danger lurks in the outdoors as well. A longtime resident, she served as executive director of Laurel Main Street from 2011 to 2020. My husband, Joseph, would deliver before and after work and all weekend. We put some lights in the trees and had these potluck parties and invited our friends from Hattiesburg. Wayne, an alligator trapper, said he had to put the. Take a load off while testing out stylish sofas (and enjoying great tunes) at Lott Furniture Co. Stroll through the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, and catch a glimpse of gorgeous architecture on the walk over, including City Hall and the Arabian Theatre. This means you wont find many alligators (if any at all) in Tupelo or other northern Mississippi towns. He had a bird's-eye view. The alligators are reaping the benefits of that, which results in abnormal specimens. The 12-foot-1 alligator was killed by a hunter in the Forest Home Chute area, just off the Mississippi River, officials said on Facebook. The sex of an alligatoris determined by the temperature of the egg at around 21 days of incubation. "When we all came home from collegeMallorie and Jim Rasberry, Emily and Josh Nowell, Ben, and mewe were the only people who lived downtown," Erin remembers. Flynt said Mississippi has a solid alligator population of about 50,000, and 25 percent of that total population call the Pascagoula River basin home. The Chinese alligator can lay 10 to 50. Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. But when people interact with the reptiles, such as by feeding them, they become more comfortable around humans and the risk of conflict dramatically rises. Mammals in the park range from tiny, secretive northern shrews to more obvious animals such as otters, beavers, coyotes, and white-tailed deer. "It was just us and the feral cats. This year (season ended Sept. 17) we had several 500-pound plus.". My mother had been here for so long that after a period of time, she owned all the stock. here in living color is proof that there once were alligators, and this is what they looked like! Alligators . Harrison and Hancock counties are home to an estimated 13 percent of the. "The Pascagoula has an overall abundant number of alligators, and they are widespread," Flynt said. In the window of a shop on Magnolia Street is the message "Bloom where you're planted." In an argument, Blanche tells Harold Mitchell she's brought many victims into her web, and calls the hotel the Tarantula Arms rather than the Hotel Flamingo. FollowClarion LedgerOutdoors on Facebookand @BrianBroom onTwitter. I kept a journal online, and I mocked up some murals in Photoshop. But it can also be a killer. In 1802, fifteen years before Mississippi became our 20th state, the American alligator received its current scientific name, Alligator mississippiensis, thanks to the efforts of French zoologist Franois M. Daudin.. Consequently, the alligator got its name from the river where the specimen lived, not the state of Mississippi. 13. "Overall, I think we have a healthy population.". Along with it, concern about safety has also grown among some outdoors enthusiasts. In the process, they can lose teeth, along with when they fight. According to the Grenada Star newspaper, it occurred in 2013. They can grow to be more than 12 feet (3.6 meters) in length and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms), with males being slightly larger than females on average. Laurel is a city in and the second county seat of Jones County, Mississippi, United States. Andru1308/Flickr. The alligator was living in a private lagoon in Laurel and was removed on June 30. Louisiana and Florida have the largest alligator populationsthere are more than one million wild alligators in each state. Laurel is currently declining at a rate of -0.82% annually and its population has decreased by -2.41% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 17,161 in 2020. As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 18,393 people, 6,925 households, and 4,542 families residing in the city. Laurel is home to the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Mississippi's oldest art museum, established by the family of Lauren Eastman Rogers. I got involved after college. Combined with alligators in Jackson County, the two make up almost 30% of Mississippis alligator population. Another place where you can see alligators is at the Jackson Zoo, located in Jackson. Alligators can be found in every county of the state, but southeast Mississippi reigns king. This story was originally published February 20 . It's made Laurel a popular destination, especially for fans. Bockman has stored his prize catch in a deer processor's walk-in cooler. Fishing is also an excellent sport here, as the lake hosts many fish species such as the channel catfish, flathead catfish, black crappie, white crappie, blue catfish, green sunfish, and white bass. In 1942, Howard Wash, a 45-year-old African-American man who had been convicted of murder, was dragged from jail and lynched by a mob. People are investing in their townnot to garner attention or elevate property values but simply to make Laurel better because this is where they want to stay and work and enjoy life. "They just don't like people is what it comes down to. Temperatures in between produce a mix of males and females. And I went, 'Wow, I must go there!' "Not in the recorded history of Mississippi history, anyway.". We were going to go to the deep places together; we were going to genuinely love people.". In alligator habitats, if you feed fish species on a regular basis, using mechanical feeders of fish is expressly forbidden. Even so, with several deaths each year in Mississippi, West Nile-carrying mosquitoes pose a danger. Mr. Missouri somehow sounds as if there should be alligators. "It's obvious that part of the country has traditionally been home to alligators since any records we have on file. This is your guide to discovering Laurel, Mississippi, the official filming location for Home Town on HGTV, starring Laurel's own Erin and Ben Napier. Flynt explained that the muscles used to bite down on prey are extremely strong, those used to open their mouths aren't. (AP) The lower three counties of South Mississippi are home to 38 percent of the state's alligators. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Until youve experienced it, you just wont understand. It's part of the magic of this place, where a devoted mayor, Johnny Magee, and a bevy of inspired citizens live their deep commitment. I think everybody was just so excited about downtown.". While there have been roughly 30 fatal attacks in the last 60 years, all but two occurred in Florida. "In a natural setting, a bear in the woods and you're walking in the woods, the chance of an encounter is slim to none. Laurel is the headquarters of the Jones County Sheriff's Department, which administers in the county. That's my measure. Right across the street from City Hall used to be the Pinehurst Hotel. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males. There was even a 727-pound gator caught in the Mississippi River back in 2017. To control the alligator population, Mississippi adopted a hunting season seven years ago in which tags are awarded through a computer drawing. The city lies on a low ridge between Tallahala Creek to the east and Tallahoma Creek to the west. Are There Alligators In Mississippi? Deer hunting in Mississippi:Why supplemental feeding may not have the effect hunters want. They're also right here in Lexington County around the Congaree River, in small creeks, and even in some private ponds in areas you may not expect. All rights reserved. You will immediately recognize the lovely Gardiner Park which is featured so often on Home Town. Okay, you have to admit, hes kind of cute. Here are just a handful of the locals who are living that mottoand bringing back this extraordinary yet ordinary town. On colder days, they usually stay in the water but you may still see their head bobbing in and out of the water every now and again. "But I can remember 10 years ago there was an alligator taken off the Pascagoula River near the 1-10 boat ramp that weighed 938 pounds. Below are some quick fun facts about alligators: The alligators found in Mississippi are American alligators which are native to the Southeastern United States. Major employers include Howard Industries, Sanderson Farms, Masonite International, Family Health Center, Howse Implement, Thermo-Kool, and South Central Regional Medical Center. Tallahoma Creek joins Tallahala Creek south of Laurel, and Tallahala Creek continues south to join the Leaf River, part of the Pascagoula River watershed. Address: 3500 Park Rd, Ocean Springs, MS 39564, Opening Times: Monday to Sunday, 6am to 10pm. I wasn't a businessperson; I'm just a mom. That number of annual fatalities is about average, he said. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 61.3% African-American, 29.8% non-Hispanic white, 7.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native American, and 1.0% reporting two or more races.[17]. Shes also referred to as the unsung hero of downtowns transformation. Combined with Jackson County, the two make up almost 30% of Mississippis alligator population. There's a real possibility of being eaten alive. One of the most extended river systems in the country, the Mississippi River is home to many wildlife species such as the paddlefish, leopard frog, cottontail, blue catfish, beaver, coyote, white-tailed deer, otter, muskrat, and even alligators. Laurel residents Erin and Ben Napier are featured in the HGTV series Home Town, which premiered on March 21, 2017. For a town with a size of only 18,000 people, that is a very big deal! 14. "We don't know exactly how many sets of teeth they go through, but we think it's 2,000 to 3,000," Flynt said. So I was in Laurel visiting and was in a restaurant chatting with the family who runs it. I always said I'd never work here, but then the girl I was going to marry was here (she came in to help my mother in 1983), my family was here, and downtown Laurel was starting to die. Between the perfectly fried seafood and the variety of local specialties and creations, such as the slug burger, dieting is basically impossible here. Amtrak's Crescent train connects Laurel with the cities of New York City; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, North Carolina; Atlanta; Birmingham, Alabama; and New Orleans. Mrs Catherine Gardiner, the wife of one of the lumber barons, engaged the firm of Fredrick Law Olmstead to landscape a city parkway system for tiny Laurel. 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