Stay at Bonnie's Laurel Cottage, a super-friendly place owned by Bonnie McConkey (it's about five minutes from downtown). The ants here in Mississippi definitely mean business. It is estimated that there are just over 30,000 alligators in Mississippi, with most centralized in the southern portion of the state. By the time an animal control officer showed up, the gator had taken cover under a pile of pallets next to the restaurants dumpster. The officer and a game warden with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) set the animal free outside city limits. "It has a huge amount of food resources between fresh and salt water. The residents of Laurel pulled together to transform the small town they called home. In person it is even more of a stunner. explained what items had to be ordered online, and gave hints about spending wisely. According to the MSDH, there have been 23 deaths caused by West Nile since 2010. According to TWRA, all of the confirmed gator sightings have been in the extreme southwest part of the state. They have a long rounded snout with upward facing nostrils so they can breathe while the rest of . alligator, (genus Alligator), either of two crocodilians related to the tropical American caimans (family Alligatoridae). In the years since, shes had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as Parents & Kids Magazine and Girl Meets Strong. Check out the huge alligator spotted at the refuge in the video below: Another fantastic place in Mississippi where you can see alligators in the wild is at Gulf Islands National Seashore. Missouri somehow sounds as if there should be alligators. (Breakfast is included for guests of their B&B upstairs.). "They're climbing 20 to 25 feet.". Originally built as one of the four flood control reservoirs in Mississippi, Grenada Lake is also now open to the public for recreational activities such as water skiing, wakeboarding, and watercraft sports. In the late 1960s, American Alligators were thought to be on the verge of extinction in the marshy wetlands bordering the Mississippi River, but they have since made a remarkable recovery. Comprised of various natural habitats such as wetlands, woods, forests, grasslands, and beach fronts, it is no surprise that wildlife is diverse and plentiful in the southern state of Mississippi. Until youve experienced it, you just wont understand. Ben and I were the storytellers. On a recent MDWFP sanctioned hunt, Lisa A. Pflug was able to kill a 12-foot alligator on the Wolf River. . The average household size was 2.61, and the average family size was 3.21. Flynt expects the Pascagoula River to once again produce the so-called trophy alligator, which would top 600 pounds and 10-feet long, despite Hurricane Isaac dropping nearly 20 inches of rainfall on the area during the final weeks of the season. GULFPORT, Miss. In the center of town, book a spacious room with soaring ceilings above Sweet Somethings Bakery. If you've ever lived in a small town or are familiar with how . ", "I was born and raised in Ellisville, about 15 minutes from here. Smith told the Clarion Ledger that he was sifting through the contents of a 750-pound, 13-foot, 5-inch alligator from Eagle Lake recently, when he discovered two strange objects, including what appeared to be a broken stone arrowhead. Hattiesburg Zoo is a small 12-acre zoo that is home to a variety of animals from all around the world including alligators. The current length record is 13 feet 6.5 inches, set by an alligator taken on the Pascagoula River in 2008. Wherever you are in Mississippi, theres plenty of options here to see alligators in their natural habitat and in zoos. In 1893, the new Eastman-Gardiner Company mill began operations, using the best technology and labor-saving devices of the day. The amount of alligator habitat in Mississippi is only a fraction of that in Florida.". "I mean, we were just kids, but Judi knew how to get grants and really make things happen.". See full Affiliate Disclosure here. and signals that you've found the historic district of this small Mississippi town. Alligators can't digest their prey after air and water temperatures fall below about 70 degrees. The three-foot gator turned up at the restaurant location on Leontyne Price Boulevard. The Wausau-Southern mill from Wausau, Wisconsin, followed in 1911, and the Marathon mill from Memphis, Tennessee, in 1914. And my father said, 'You're still healthy, you love to cook, and you've got a passion for dealing with people. Reuben Lott actually had 11 Mr. Lott stores around the state, but he had no heirs, so he sold his stores to the employees. "Bears just avoid people," Young said. "When my daughter graduated high school, she said she was going to leave. Laurel Police Chief Tommy Cox said more critters may turn up as rainy weather continues. Jones County trappers catch 740-pound gator, 2-vehicle crash on MS-588 causes multiple fatalities, Suspect charged with manslaughter for Bassfield shooting over the weekend, Paradise Pier opens this weekend in Biloxi, GRAPHIC: Huskies rescued, owner arrested in Jones Co. following animal welfare complaint, Hattiesburg police seek publics help to find runaway teen. Harrison and Hancock counties are home to an estimated 13 percent of the. [24], Almost all of Laurel is within the Laurel School District. However, not anyone can trap gators because it is illegal, and a person could get fined up to $10,000. Harmless snakes are more common, but encounters with venomous snakes do occur, and one should always be alert while enjoying outdoor activities. With so many of these predators roaming around, one might anticipate fatal alligator attacks are a regular occurrence. Snow is a rare sight in Mississippi, but thats okay. Ricky Flynt, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Alligator Program coordinator, said it's a fascinating animal. Combined with Jackson County, the two make up almost 30% of Mississippis alligator population. Then, in the last decade or so, a grassroots movement began. According to a report published by Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, an estimated 23 people were killed by alligators between 1948 and 2004. After that sighting, specific cautions advise lake visitors to report to the authorities once they spot an alligator during their visit to the lake. Jackson County is home to an estimated 12,500 alligators. ". Did you know that 84 species of reptiles, 426 species of birds, and over 120 species of fish make Mississippi their forever home? Thank you! LDWF manages the American alligator as a commercial, renewable natural resource. But it can also be a killer. Deer hunting and squirrel hunting are the most popular, with turkey hunting available during spring. Since then, every state that the river flows through has imposed strict cautions that warn people to report alligator sightings immediately and stay out of the water unless supervised. As of the 2020 United States census, there were 17,161 people, 6,825 households, and 4,278 families residing in the city. "I've had alligators that I had to use both hands, but smaller alligators, 7 to 8-feet-long, I can hold them shut with one hand all day," Flynt said. Get a straight-razor shave from Jeremy Williams, the barber in the back of men's-clothing shop Guild & Gentry. According to Newsweek, it is estimated that there are around 1.3 million alligators in Florida. More than 6,000 acres of the land are licensed to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks to manage wildlife within this area. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. 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. Top Things to Do in Laurel, Mississippi: See Tripadvisor's 4,130 traveller reviews and photos of Laurel tourist attractions. In alligator habitats, if you feed fish species on a regular basis, using mechanical feeders of fish is expressly forbidden. "I said man, this beats everything I've ever seen," Wayne said. I get emotional about it. Because alligators are. That's all good. We didn't have hot water. They are very strong and capable.". And the man next to her said, 'She's too busy. Mayor Johnny Magee with his longtime barber, Richard Brown, owner of Hair World. This is the place! "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. Gardiner Park. "That lifeline will save your life," Newell said. Love Mississippi? Address: 2918 W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39209. 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. Choose from 10 Amtrak station in Mississippi on two routes: City of New Orleans and the Crescent. Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks estimates that there are between 32,000 and 38,000 alligators in Mississippi. And of course it's Erin & Ben Napier's home town. ", The Napiers and their friends were not the only ones making headway here. [4] Yellow pine forests in the region fueled the industry. I kept a journal online, and I mocked up some murals in Photoshop. After completing the purchase, Eastman and the Gardiner brothers decided to make substantial improvements to their Laurel lumber operations by constructing a new and much larger, state-of-the-art lumber mill. Due to the variety of habitats in the state, many interesting animals, like armadillos, bottlenose dolphins, flying squirrels, kingsnakes, and alligators, have been seen living here. We recently estimated that there are 32,000-38,000 alligators and about 408,000 acres of alligator habitat in Mississippi. Even so, with several deaths each year in Mississippi, West Nile-carrying mosquitoes pose a danger. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! NNehring/Getty Images. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A Laurel animal control officer, who usually rounds up stray dogs and cats, spent some time this week capturing a four-foot-long alligator that made an unwelcome visit to a city restaurant. It seems very plausible to imagine an alligator floating elegantly, its silhouette adding a threatening component to the famous view of the Gateway Arch. Thin-Legged Wolf Spider. Jackson County may be home to a 1,000-pound alligator in the fertile waters of the Pascagoula River. 15. You may also consult Extension Publication 3529, Snakes Alive! Laurel was the big city for us. sankax/Flickr. In Mississippi, venomous species include the Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake, pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, cottonmouth, coral snake and the most common, the copperhead. Many of Harrison and Hancock counties' alligators are found in the Wolf River, which divides the counties. U.S. Route 84 passes through the south side of the city, leading east 30 miles (48km) to Waynesboro and west 27 miles (43km) to Collins. Andru1308/Flickr. But it didn't always seem that way. Once a thriving logging community and cultural hub, Laurel gradually fell into disrepair. . 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. American alligators have been all over the headlines in Alabama recently from gator hunts in south Alabama, to a rogue 10-footer killed in Oxford. "Crocodilians, which includes alligators, have a uniquely designed heart that allows them to store oxygen without beating," Flynt said. "I can't wait to get it on the bank.". Only one, however, can be longer than 7 feet. To control the alligator population, Mississippi adopted a hunting season seven years ago in which tags are awarded through a computer drawing. 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