6. John Quincy Adams’s pet alligator is most likely a myth
Multiple reports that John Quincy Adams kept a pet alligator in the East Room of the White House are not supported by any contemporaneous accounts, and are likely apocryphal. The first reports of the alligator appeared in 1888, and contained no references to earlier accounts. The president did keep silkworms though, and his wife Louisa used their silk. Quincy Adams did have a habit unusual today but fairly common in his time in American cities. He liked to rise early and head to the Potomac where he indulged himself by swimming naked in the early morning hours as a means of relaxation and exercise before his work day began.