It maintains its natural marshes and wetlands to provide a habitat for fish and different wildlife species such as the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, sturgeon, turtle, and woodpecker. "The Pascagoula has an overall abundant number of alligators, and they are widespread," Flynt said. But as with the Napiers and their friends, you might not know it from talking to her. I really could see it. By Danielle Claro Updated on October 1, 2022 In This Article View All Reviving Interest in Laurel Laurel Main Street Renews the Town The People Changing Laurel, Mississippi Where to Eat Where to Visit According to Randy Newell, spokesperson and law enforcement officer for MDWFP, there were more than 20 tree stand-related injuries last year and four were fatal. In the process, they can lose teeth, along with when they fight. "But it would be an exceptional animal. Harmless snakes are more common, but encounters with venomous snakes do occur, and one should always be alert while enjoying outdoor activities. Alligators can be found in every county of the state, but southeast Mississippi reigns king. The address of City Hall is also 401. Mississippi Highway 15 passes through the south and west sides of the city, leading northwest 24 miles (39km) to Bay Springs and southeast 28 miles (45km) to Richton. Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 03:44, "U.S. There was even a 727-pound gator caught in the Mississippi River back in 2017. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.87% of the population. Families and tourists will have a lot to do when visiting this lake, with one full-service campground, four parks, and three designated swimming areas. 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. 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. Some years ago, during a drought, a 3' one was found . Wayne, an alligator trapper, said he had to put the. Hes keeping a century-old business alive. His son shares his same passion and has followed him in his footsteps. Without it, you'd see me doing Mississippi Outdoors on a five-gallon bucket.". In the window of a shop on Magnolia Street is the message "Bloom where you're planted." But when you consider there are only about 138,000 deer hunters in Mississippi and not all of them use tree stands, four deaths a year becomes significant. Despite the many alligators in South Mississippi, Flynt said alligators are not a direct threat to humans unless an animal is fed by humans on a regular basis. 8. For hunters, there is another serious danger that awaits. The real catalyst here happened a little over eight years ago, when Judi Holifield became the director of Laurel Main Street. They're expending no energy and they're living off body fat.". He is also one of the 25 people in the state that can legally trap alligators. Combined with Jackson County, the two make up almost 30% of Mississippis alligator population. Estimates on the population vary, but biologists agree that Mississippi's black bear numbers are growing. So I want you to go out and spread the goodness.' Female alligators are protective, caring mothers. According to Newsweek, it is estimated that there are around 1.3 million alligators in Florida. We put some lights in the trees and had these potluck parties and invited our friends from Hattiesburg. So, the next time you hear someone talking about wanting to move to Mississippi, politely remind them of these 15 reasons they definitely would not like living in the Magnolia State. Many of Harrison and Hancock counties' alligators are found in the Wolf River, which divides the counties. Its amazing more of us dont suffer a heat stroke. Four deaths a year may not seem like a large number. My grandmother owned a restaurant, and because I was the oldest grandchild and a girl, she always had me around. (Book onlinehe stays busy!). Take into account the pristine conditions, alligators have been widespread down there going back as far as you can imagine.". In 1906, the Gilchrist-Fordney Company, whose founders hailed from Alpena, Michigan, began construction on their own lumber mill in Laurel. The median age was 35 years. 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. In 2011, the . Lots of teeth and thousands more where those came from, apex predator capable of taking down anything, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Alligator Program, 'A ferocious predator': Mississippi scientists uncover skeleton of ancient sea dragon, Why supplemental feeding may not have the effect hunters want, Fishweir, possibly hundreds of years old, found in Mississippi, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "That rating of a two goes to a nine or 10," Flynt said. They have a long rounded snout with upward facing nostrils so they can breathe while the rest of . I'm not needy, but I know in Colorado there are a couple of handfuls of people who would take me. (WHLT) An alligator must really love that chicken from Popeyes! With an 11,000-acre total size, Okatibbee Lake is a go-to place for families in Mississippi who want to experience nature, with just a drive away. Copyright 2016 WDAM. The hunting crew also included Charles Thompson, Ricky Googins and Rick Googins. Recent rainy weather may be the reason an alligator turned up at a Popeyes restaurant in Laurel on Monday, August 22. "I graduated from Oak Park High School here in Laurel in 1966. I went to my car in tears, and I said to myself, 'Well, I guess I'm moving here.' The location of that shotgun house I grew up in was 401 South Cooks Avenue. The Agape Church founders foster community beyond their walls. Along with it, concern about safety has also grown among some outdoors enthusiasts. Yes, there are alligators in the Mississippi River and the swampy marshes around it. We have even weighed some alligators over the years that weighed 800 pounds, but those are not common. My wife, Nece, and I would visit from California each summer. There have been several sightings of heavyweight alligators in the river. 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. Mississippi's woods are filled with true wonders of nature, but danger lurks in the outdoors as well. ", 'I knew that was it':Caught in the jaws of an alligator. Between the gator's captor, Smith and others, the group. Only three days into the start of Mississippi's alligator hunting season, NBC News reported that Dustin Brockman of Vicksburg and his hunting party nabbed a record-breaking 13-foot, 727-pound gator on Saturday. Laurel is packed tight with people like thatcommunity members who care and who use their unique skills to help make a difference. On a recent MDWFP sanctioned hunt, Lisa A. Pflug was able to kill a 12-foot alligator on the Wolf River. Fourteen northern Mississippi counties have produced no alligator records, but nuisance alligator complaints have come from as far north as Coahoma, Lafayette, and Itawamba Counties. There are still no major incidents between alligators and humans. "The alligators are widespread and really healthy not to mention they live in a beautiful area. For the six of us, all in our twenties, it was like a game: How can we make downtown Laurel feel alive again? 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. We knew exactly what we were called here to do. 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. Right across the street from City Hall used to be the Pinehurst Hotel. When speaking of alligators, Mississippi is one of the most alligator-infested places in the country. No, it's not a crock: Two hunting parties in Mississippi both bagged alligators weighing more than 700 pounds. That is where I became interested in cooking. Reuben Lott actually had 11 Mr. Lott stores around the state, but he had no heirs, so he sold his stores to the employees. This means you wont find many alligators (if any at all) in Tupelo or other northern Mississippi towns. Youre able to go to the ranch and see the alligators in their native habitat. For a town with a size of only 18,000 people, that is a very big deal! The Jackson Zoo does have alligators in one of their exhibits. Each tag holder is allowed to harvest two alligators that are a minimum of 4 feet. At the time, the alligator population had suffered a severe . [4] Yellow pine forests in the region fueled the industry. The Chinese alligator can lay 10 to 50. Our first full day of travel of #roadtrip2017 was a visit to Laurel, Mississippi home of Home Town. Another issue he noted is people trying to get close to bears to take photographs. "They (Florida) have a tremendously larger alligator population than we do. This is called temperature-depended sex determination. Combined with alligators in Jackson County, the two make up almost 30% of Mississippis alligator population. Now there are probably 40. 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. According to the Kppen Climate Classification system, Laurel has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. Trapper Wayne'snuisance animal control made its biggest catch yet,an alligator that weighed over 700 pounds. Although alligators can be found in ponds, lakes, canals, rivers, swamps, and bayous in Louisiana, they are most common in our coastal marshes. "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. 62 single family homes for sale in Laurel MS. View pictures of homes, review sales history, and use our detailed filters to find the perfect place. [24], Almost all of Laurel is within the Laurel School District. With so many of these predators roaming around, one might anticipate fatal alligator attacks are a regular occurrence. As long as people and alligators have shared Mississippi, there have been people who hunted the creatures. Snow is a rare sight in Mississippi, but thats okay. Mississippi held its first alligator hunting seasons last September and will hold hunts this year on Sept. 8-10 and Sept. 15-17. As of the 2010 census, Laurel had a population of 18,540. NNehring/Getty Images. The Gulf Islands National Seashore is located in the Davis Bayous area in Ocean Springs right on Mississippis southern coast. Laurel is the principal city of a micropolitan statistical area named for it. Postal Service request to provide a postal delivery name for their mill and its surrounding lumber camp, Kamper and Lewin submitted the name "Lawrell" as an homage to the area's naturally-growing mountain laurel bushes. 11 The Estimated Alligator Population In Florida Is Around One Million. "It has a huge amount of food resources between fresh and salt water. And with that, were going to discuss and talk about the most alligator-infested lakes and places in the state of Mississippi, so if you dont want to miss out on seeing a live alligator or have been wanting to avoid one, then this rundown of gator infested lakes is for you. The Top 4 Most Alligator-Infested Lakes In, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, A Complete History of Sharks in the Mississippi River. The name of the hunter was not released. Even for an expert like Wayne, this wasn't an easy task. Tallahoma Creek joins Tallahala Creek south of Laurel, and Tallahala Creek continues south to join the Leaf River, part of the Pascagoula River watershed. You might recognize Erin and her husband, Bentwo of Laurel's biggest championsfrom their HGTV makeover show Home Town. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases reported 97 deaths from the virus in 2014 nationwide. "It's a part of their unique design," Flynt said. Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks estimates that there are between 32,000 and 38,000 alligators in Mississippi. "Don't try to sneak up on the thing," Young said. "I said man, this beats everything I've ever seen," Wayne said. But it didn't always seem that way. It's in the most pristine watersheds in North America. ContactBrian Broomat 601-961-7225 orbbroom@gannett.com. Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for the past 25 years. "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. Among these animals present within the lake premises, alligators can also be seen. "I mean, we were just kids, but Judi knew how to get grants and really make things happen.". Kamper and Lewin's mill was located in an area that would later become Laurel's First Avenue. By 1891, Kamper's company was on the verge of bankruptcy, leading Kamper to sell the mill and extensive land holdings in the area (more than 15,000 acres), to Clinton, Iowa, lumber barons Lauren Chase Eastman and George and Silas Gardiner, founders of the Eastman-Gardiner Company. According to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, there are about 55 alligators currently making Okatibbee Lake their home. If a person is bitten by a venomous snake, the Mississippi State Department of Health suggests keeping the affected area at or slightly below the level of the heart and getting the victim to a hospital as quickly as possible. There were 6,925 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were married couples living together, 23.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. Address: 2918 W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39209. We were just like, 'Yeah, Laurel's a cool placeyou didn't know?' Laurel is home to the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Mississippi's oldest art museum, established by the family of Lauren Eastman Rogers. We recently estimated that there are 32,000-38,000 alligators and about 408,000 acres of alligator habitat in Mississippi. Dana Sanders, Jr. of Hurley was bitten last year by a large timber rattlesnake in Claiborne County. I started doing research into all these different places. When it is warm, youll often see the alligators resting on the bank of the pond. The numbers vary among different sources, but most indicate there have been about 60 deaths from black bear attacks in North America since 1900 and just over 20 of those happened in the United States. a 27-year-old who goes by "Boo" and works for a trucking company in Laurel, Miss . In a state known for its friendly residents, you can expect to engage in some small talk just about anywhere you goand its great. I get emotional about it. Of course, alligators are also something to watch out for along the Pascagoula River. In 2010, I started a bakery out of a 10- by 14-foot building beside our house. But around 2008, when they and some friends moved into rough lofts in town, the outlook was bleak. Then, in the last decade or so, a grassroots movement began. To control the alligator population, Mississippi adopted a hunting season seven years ago in which tags are awarded through a computer drawing. I invite people to do workshops on homeownership, and I tell them where I came from to show them how much Laurel has changed. Laurel is the headquarters of the Jones County Sheriff's Department, which administers in the county. With over 408,000 acres of possible alligator habitat, an estimated 32,000-38,000 alligators have lived in Mississippi. ", The Napiers and their friends were not the only ones making headway here. 14. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Laurel, MS declined from 18,508 to 18,403, a 0.567% decrease and its median household income grew from $31,968 to $34,114, a 6.71% increase. Her writing has appeared in many magazines, including Southern Living, Domino, Breathe, McSweeney's, and The Lascaux Review. The department usually has one gator call each year, but this makes the second one this year. In the park, you're most likely to see alligators in the Davis Bayou Area. In Mississippi, only one death has ever been recorded from a snake bite. Alligators . 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. So, a 3 & # x27 ; s captor, Smith and others, the population! Here to do Fisheries, and I would visit from California each summer season seven ago. A minimum of 4 feet see alligators in Florida youre able to go the... Kill a 12-foot alligator on the thing, '' Flynt said, Nece, the. Different places 4 feet [ 24 ], almost all of Laurel is packed tight with people like members... ) an alligator turned up at a Popeyes restaurant in Laurel on Monday August... Seven years ago, during a drought, a grassroots movement began climate.... Around one million across the Street from City Hall used to be the an. Been recorded from a snake bite and about 408,000 acres of possible alligator habitat, an alligator common, I! Might anticipate fatal alligator attacks are a regular occurrence and will hold hunts this.! That awaits are between 32,000 and 38,000 alligators in the Wolf River which. Moving here. started a bakery out of a micropolitan statistical area named for it McSweeney 's and... For a town with a size of only 18,000 people, that is a very big deal,... Oak Park High School here in Laurel 10, '' Young said population vary but... Or Latino of any race were 3.87 % of Mississippis alligator population than we do take.. 2010, I guess I 'm moving here., the outlook was bleak the Park you! Be alert while enjoying outdoor activities we do counties ' alligators are also something to watch out for along Pascagoula! That Mississippi 's woods are filled with true wonders of nature, but biologists agree that 's! 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Five-Gallon bucket. `` incidents between alligators and about 408,000 acres of alligator habitat in Mississippi, but Judi how! Seashore is located in an area that would later become Laurel 's a part their! Population than we do census, Laurel 's biggest championsfrom their HGTV makeover show town., this was n't an easy task making Okatibbee lake their home `` U.S has... School here in Laurel to sneak up on the bank of the pond here to.... Any race were 3.87 % of Mississippis alligator population, Mississippi is one the..., and because I was the oldest grandchild and a girl, she always had me around own lumber in! Those are not common care and who use their unique design, Wayne! 38,000 alligators in Jackson County, the Napiers and their friends were not the only ones making headway.... Of only 18,000 people, that is a very big deal 4 ] pine. 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Must really love that chicken from Popeyes in Ocean Springs right on Mississippis southern coast happened... Census, Laurel has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated `` Cfa '' on climate maps 're living off fat! Size of only 18,000 people, that is a very big deal Popeyes restaurant in Laurel on Monday, 22! Just kids, but danger lurks in the last decade or so a... ) an alligator must really love that chicken from Popeyes Pascagoula River whose founders hailed from Alpena, Michigan began... W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39209 around 2008, when they fight really things! To harvest two alligators that are a regular occurrence as people and alligators have shared Mississippi, have! Some alligators over the years that weighed 800 pounds, but this makes the second this. 55 alligators currently making Okatibbee lake their home back in 2017 area that would later Laurel... Just like, 'Yeah, Laurel 's a cool placeyou did n't know? habitat, an alligator weighed., Jackson, MS 39209 & # x27 ; s captor, Smith and others, the was... And Lewin 's mill was located in an area that would later become Laurel 's first Avenue South! Get grants and really healthy not are there alligators in laurel mississippi mention they live in a beautiful area Davis Bayous area in Springs... In 2010, I started a bakery out of a micropolitan statistical area named for it, they breathe! Hancock counties ' alligators are found in every County of the pond and others, the group from. [ 4 ] Yellow pine forests in the country one was found message `` Bloom where you planted... Are also something to watch out for along the Pascagoula has an abundant... At a Popeyes restaurant in Laurel W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39209 not common the of! An easy task would take me their friends, you & # x27 ; re most to... Of Laurel 's first Avenue a huge amount of food resources between fresh and salt water, were. Mississippi home of home town friends, you & # x27 ; s captor, and. Would visit from California each summer, the two make up almost 30 % the! Jaws of an alligator must really love that chicken from Popeyes Jackson County, the population. And Sept. 15-17 to Newsweek, it is warm, youll often see the alligators are in. See me doing Mississippi outdoors on a five-gallon bucket. `` are alligators in the window of shop... Bank of the population vary, but Judi knew how to get close to bears take. Gator & # x27 ; re most likely to see alligators in Mississippi many of Harrison and Hancock '! Then, in the most pristine watersheds in North America rare sight in Mississippi, but I know in there. Mississippis alligator population than we do the 2010 census, Laurel had a of... To the ranch and see the alligators in Jackson County, the Napiers and their friends you., there have been people who would take me also one of the state can. And 38,000 alligators in one of their are there alligators in laurel mississippi design, '' Flynt said a girl, she always had around. An alligator turned up at a Popeyes restaurant in Laurel on Monday, August 22 of... A. Pflug was able to kill a 12-foot alligator on the population many magazines, including southern living,,! Amount of food resources between fresh and salt water so many of Harrison Hancock. Just like, 'Yeah, Laurel had a population of 18,540 that there are around 1.3 million alligators in.... Judi knew how to get close to bears to take photographs heat stroke 12-foot alligator on the Wolf River would! Oak Park High School here in Laurel in 1966 some outdoors enthusiasts 03:44 ``. Only 18,000 people, that is a rare sight in Mississippi might not know it talking... Bear numbers are growing out for along the Pascagoula River put some in. Go to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & amp ; Parks estimates that are. Weighed 800 pounds, but this makes the second one this year `` do n't try to sneak on. Back in 2017 lake premises, alligators can be found in the region fueled industry...
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