I was fortunate enough to visit the Gardens about a year ago. (I am starting to get paranoid, it seems that when I visit an ancient roadside attraction it disappears a year later.)
The Wonder Gardens were part of a dieing breed, and their loss will be felt on the American Roadside. The Wonder Gardens was one of the old roadside "tourist traps" that used to dot the Florida Roadside. It was part roadside zoo, part quirky museum.
The Wonder Gardens previously housed the biggest Alligator in all of Florida: Big Joe. Joe died in 2003, but he was still at the Gardens in wonderful taxidermic form.
The heir apparent to his thrown, is this beautiful crocodile Big Joe II. Sadly, we do not know what will become of him.
There had guided tours of their animals, which were all native Florida animals. Of course the main draw of any Florida attractions are the Gators.
Of course my favorite part was the museum, that had some truly awesome examples of Taxidermy
They also had a collection of jars filled with some of the creepiest things possible.
One display was a watch that saved a lion handler's life.....
And a whisker from that very lion....
The museum also contained various other strange and whimsical exhibits.
The Florida Roadside has lost a wonderful attraction. Thank you for the memories!
The Carpetbagger
Please feel free to e-mail me at jacobthecarpetbagger@gmail.com
and check out my Flickr Photostream
