Seminole Reptile Gardens crowd, c. 1954
Item
Title
Seminole Reptile Gardens crowd, c. 1954
Description
Group portrait taken in front of the bleachers at the Seminole Reptile Gardens. Crowd in the stands behind the group are spectators for a wildlife show at the park.
Seminole Reptile Gardens was a tourist attraction on the east side of US 1, at Central Parkway (in 2025, where the Martin County School Board is located). Gene Coppedge opened Seminole Reptile Gardens on May 30, 1954 after leasing 3 acres from Ralph Ulmer for the attraction which included a Seminole Indian village, gift shop and Florida wildlife tours and shows.
According to the Stuart News (27 May 1954), wildlife at the park included "...panthers, bears, raccoons, otters, deer, opossums, gray squirrels, fox squirrels, skunks, civet cats, foxes, wildcats, native Florida birds including the caracara (and the flamingo, once a native bird) and a snake pit where Florida diamondbacks, cottonmouth moccasins and coral snakes will be displayed" An alligator pit was also a major feature at the park.
The business venture appears to have been short lived as there is no mention of the Seminole Reptile Gardens in the newspaper after June 1955.
Seminole Reptile Gardens was a tourist attraction on the east side of US 1, at Central Parkway (in 2025, where the Martin County School Board is located). Gene Coppedge opened Seminole Reptile Gardens on May 30, 1954 after leasing 3 acres from Ralph Ulmer for the attraction which included a Seminole Indian village, gift shop and Florida wildlife tours and shows.
According to the Stuart News (27 May 1954), wildlife at the park included "...panthers, bears, raccoons, otters, deer, opossums, gray squirrels, fox squirrels, skunks, civet cats, foxes, wildcats, native Florida birds including the caracara (and the flamingo, once a native bird) and a snake pit where Florida diamondbacks, cottonmouth moccasins and coral snakes will be displayed" An alligator pit was also a major feature at the park.
The business venture appears to have been short lived as there is no mention of the Seminole Reptile Gardens in the newspaper after June 1955.
Creator
Source
Scan gift of Sandra Thurlow.
Contributor
Rights
In Copyright - Rights-holder(s) Unlocatable or Unidentifiable The Martin County Library System believes this Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. However, for this Item, either (a) no rights-holder(s) have been identified or (b) one or more rights-holder(s) have been identified but none have been located. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For more information, visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/
Format
Black and white negative; 4x5 inches
Language
English
Type
Still Image
Identifier
Thurlow-2025-030-gas2-121
2025.030
Coverage
Original Format
Negative
Collection
Citation
Earl Dyer Ricou (1923-2011), “Seminole Reptile Gardens crowd, c. 1954,” Martin Digital History, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.martindigitalhistory.org/items/show/16350.