When 50 Alligators Invaded a Small Missouri Town in the Bootheel

I think if you ask Missouri residents, a majority will admit that strange things happen in the Bootheel part of the state. That was never more true than the time when 50 alligators invaded a small town there and this is a provable historical fact.

There are multiple sources that confirm what happened in Kennett, Missouri just over a decade ago. I've seen stories by Cracked and the Riverfront Times tell the story of an alligator salesman from Florida that decided to set up shop in Kennett. As the story goes, the salesman from Florida was not legally allowed to sell the gators, but still convinced 50 residents in Kennett, Missouri to take him up on his offer.

Here's the big problem that Kennett, Missouri had to deal with. Baby gators grow fast. By the time that authorities realized what was going on, many were more than 3 feet in length and were eating their way up to be the 6+ foot monsters they were born to be. As WREG reported in April of 2012, that led police to make a decision. They offered residents the chance to come turn in their gators voluntarily with the promise they wouldn't be charged with a crime.

Did Kennett, Missouri find all of those 50 alligators?

Here's a chilling ending to this story. There are no records from any Missouri Bootheel publications that ever showed that all of the alligators sold in Kennett were accounted for according to Cracked. Every time I see a rogue alligator that is found in a Missouri stream, I wonder if this is a descendent of the infamous Kennett gator invasion. I have yet to hear a better theory.