Joseph Campbell was dubbed “Alligator Joe” when he opened a gator farm in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1906. Campbell had recently relocated from India and established himself as a showman in the Hot Springs area, which caught the eye of California ostrich farmer Francis Earnest, who convinced Campbell there was more money to be made in the West.
In 1907, the duo boarded a train, along with four dozen reptilians, and made their way to Los Angeles, where they planned a new attraction next to Earnest’s farm in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood. A banner hung from the side of the train promoting their vision: the California Alligator Farm.