35. When an alligator lived in the White House
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After the American Revolution, the 6th President of the United States was gifted an alligator. In this extraordinary moment in history, John Quincy Adams received the alligator from Marquis de Lafayette. It’s unclear why Adams decided to keep the alligator though. According to historians, the alligator took up residence in the not yet constructed East Room and spent most of its time in the bathtub. John Quincy Adams reportedly liked to show the alligator to guests to observe their reaction and poke fun at their terror.
