Howard Dorre

Saving John Quincy Adams from Alligators and Mole People

With a dynamic career in American politics spanning more than fifty years, John Quincy Adams has long been the subject of legends.

The problem with the most commonly shared legends or “fun facts” about the sixth president is that they are either unsupported or flat-out false. From keeping a pet alligator in the East Room of the White House to being ambushed while skinny dipping by reporter Anne Royall to even approving an expedition to establish trade with a race of underground mole people, Adams is the target of several wild stories that don’t hold water.

This program explores the origins and spread of these tall tales and Dorre’s personal crusade to stop their proliferation.