Lucy the Elephant
By Michael Karl Witzel ©2007-2008
What’s 38 feet long, has 22 windows, four legs, an 18 square foot living room, 26 foot tail, two eyes 18 inches in diameter, two 22 feet tusks, stands 65 feet tall, has a neck circumference of 48 feet, a pair of 17 foot ears, and a trunk? It’s Lucy the Elephant, located seaside in Margate City, New Jersey.
Lucy, Margate, New Jersey
Lucy came to life in 1881 after real estate developer James Lafferty acted on the inspiration to build a larger-than-life structure for promotional purposes. He wanted to lure potential land buyers to the area and figured that an elephant-shaped building was just the ticket to attract attention.
When completed, Lucy was so large that visitors could spend the night in her interior. In an age devoid of TV, CD players, and satellite dishes, the idea of sleeping inside of a giant elephant stirred the imagination. Later, when the novelty of the hotel waned, Lucy was converted into a Tavern. As thirsty customers downed drinks, Lafferty made his sales pitch.
With Lucy’s help, a continuous stream of curious onlookers (and real-estate prospects) arrived in town. Lafferty raked in so much dough from land sales that he decided to replicate the “elephant-as-building-as-billboard” idea and build copies of the giant pachyderm in nearby cities. By the turn-of-the century, even larger, more impressive versions of Lucy added character to the cityscapes of Cape May and Coney Island.
Nevertheless, the public’s fascination with elephantine architecture didn’t last. As the decades passed, seaside land increased in value and the way was cleared for more profitable enterprises. Except for Margate’s Lucy, all of the duplicate animals were demolished. It was a close call for the original beast, and the 60s saw her in a sorry state of repair.
Lafferty Patent for Lucy
Fortunately, local supporters came to the rescue. Faced with the permanent loss of Lucy, Margate residents raised the funds that were needed to restore her to the glory of Victorian days.
Now, Lucy stands tall as the world’s largest elephant structure. Designated as a National Historic Landmark, over 25,000 come to visit every year! To fund her upkeep, caretakers hold tours for a nominal fee. Visitors learn of the 12,000 square feet of sheet metal that workers cobbled together to form her skin and that over one million sticks of lumber and 200 kegs of nails make up her internal frame. Many are excited to discover that her gross weight tips the scales at 90 tons.
Inside Lucy’s stomach (her body is 80 feet in circumference), tourists no longer spend the night, but may purchase a variety of gift shop souvenirs and trinkets. Maritime artifacts and memorabilia relating to her history are also on display.
The climax of the tour takes place in the “howdah,” a fitted canopy and railing high atop Lucy’s back. From this elevated vantage point, sight-seers are witness to a milieu of parking lots, high-rise condos, and a panoramic view of the Atlantic. As far as the eye can see, one fact is true: There is no other building—or elephant for that matter—that’s quite like Lucy.
• Visit the Official Lucy Web Site
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