“Snakes Alive” Owner Bitten by Cobra and Dies, 1961: Clarkston

What do you call an attraction that features all kinds of snakes – deadly and otherwise – along with a menagerie of other reptiles? A serpentarium. And Michigan had two major ones.

Snakes Alive was run by Paul Allen, with one location in Clarkston and another in Mackinaw City. Lizards, iguanas, alligators, all kinds of snakes, and even a pet tarantula were part of Snakes Alive much to the delight of kids.

Tragedy struck in 1961. Paul was making his rounds one Sunday night, feeding the snakes. While attempting to feed a mouse to a five-foot Indian Cobra, Paul was bitten on his right little finger by the snake. His wife administered a snakebite serum that was only good for ten minutes. After refusing to be taken to a hospital, within the hour he was unconscious.

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The Detroit Zoo was called upon for some snakebite serum and it was rushed to the police who took it to Paul. As bad luck would have it, the directions were written in Hebrew, which nobody present could translate. The zoo was called and they translated the instructions on how to administer the serum. Paul was given the serum at 11:30pm and was taken to the hospital. Upon arrival at 11:45, he had already passed away.

The Mackinaw City location is long gone, but there's still a remaining building of the one in Clarkston, at 10070 Dixie Highway. Take a look at the gallery below.