The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park is one of the oldest animal-related attractions in the state of Florida. Founded in 1893, St. Augustine is listed in the National Register of Historical Places in addition to being accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Alligator Farm is home to 20 species of animals including birds and reptiles.
The Alligator Farm opened in 1893 as a small souvenir shop and museum at the end of the St. Augustine Railway. The owners of the farm added alligators as an attraction to entice visitors into the museum shop to buy souvenirs, but soon became the main attraction themselves. In the 1930s, the farm was relocated to its present location, and in 1937 it was bought by W.I. Drysdale and F. Charles Usina. The two young men began to expand the farm, but were struck by a fire that destroyed the main building of the complex. Undaunted, the pair rebuilt, and made plans to improve the property and the collections. Within a few years, they acquired collections from some of the best known zoos in the area. In addition to the alligators, the zoo grew to include ostriches, flamingos, crocodiles, monkeys and tortoises.
Over time, the Alligator Farm became a focus of research on alligators, thanks to its ownership and access to some of the oldest known specimens of alligators living in captivity. Research based at St. Augustine's was published in scholarly journals around the world, as well as in popular magazines like National Geographic and Saturday Evening Post. The publicity drew more attention to the farm and to the plight of alligators, which were becoming an endangered species. After Drysdale's son took over the management of St. Augustine's in the 1970s, he added a nature trail and refurbished the exhibits, consulting with the Florida Audubon Society to make improvements to the rookery. He also added lectures on the lives and habits of alligators and snakes to the exhibitions and shows.
In 1989, nearly 100 years after the zoo opened as a small attraction at a souvenir stand, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums awarded it accreditation. A few years later, the National Register of Historic Places added St. Augustine to its rolls.
There are nearly a dozen exhibits at the Alligator Farm. They include the Rookery, the largest in the state of Florida. It includes egrets, storks, herons, ibis and other birds that populate the wetlands. The Rookery is part of the Alligator Swamp, home to over 150 alligators and many turtles living in about two acres of land. Other attractions include Maximo, a crocodile reaching lengths of over 15 feet and claims the title of largest animal in the park, and a new Komodo dragon exhibit.
St. Augustine is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM with extended hours in the summers. Admission is $21.95 for adults, $10.95 for children. Group discounts, educational rates and passes are available. For more information on admission prices and hours, call the Alligator Farm at 904-824-3337.
