Photos courtesy City of Chattahoochee 
The small west Gadsden community of Chattahoochee – with its vibrant downtown, monthly live music events, gorgeous natural landscapes and world-class fishing opportunities – draws visitors of all walks of life, demographics and interests. With multiple nature preserves, state parks and other conservation land surrounding the community, sometimes visitors include those of other species, as was the case this past week, when this scaly little guy – a juvenile American alligator – was spotted crossing Main Street. Though undoubtedly not in town to sample the unique history or nightlife of Chattahoochee, this young gator may have been drawn by the aforementioned “world class fishing.” Unfortunately for him, however, he was several blocks away from where the biting is best – the banks of the stately Apalachicola River, which runs through the heart of town. Hoping to get this alligator angler to better environs for a big catch, a few reptile-loving employees with the City of Chattahoochee utilities department stepped in to lend a hand, temporarily suspending their water, sewer and gas duties to serve as tour guide for this reptilian visitor – escorting him to the river banks, where he was released to fish for young bream, baby catfish, frogs and other freshwater delights to his heart’s content. After all, Chattahoochee aims to treat every visitor like royalty, even those not of the Homo sapiens variety.
