Lucy stands and looks out towards the Atlantic Ocean, her gaze unwavering. In fact, she does not blink. Lucy, if you do not know, is the most famous landmark in Margate, New Jersey. She was constructed as a tourist attraction back in 1881 by real estate developer John V. Lafferty on what would become Cedar Grove Avenue. Her purpose was to bring people to buy Lafferty’s land holdings in what was then known as South Atlantic City.
The huge elephant, made of tin and wood, even served as a hotel, albeit, a small one, but during the 1960’s Lucy was closed to the public and she began to deteriorate. Lucy was not the only elephant to grace the shoreline. The Coney Island, New York Elephantine Colossus burned to the ground in 1896, and Lucy’s closer “sister,” Light of Asia, located in Cape May, was demolished in 1900.
It appeared that Lucy would suffer the same fate, but Josephine Harron and the Save Lucy Committee, formed by the Margate Civic Association, came to her rescue. It was decided that she would be moved to a new location closer to the ocean at Decatur and Atlantic Avenues. This was no small task. Lucy is far bigger than other elephants, standing six stories high and weighing in at 90 tons. On July 20, 1970 thousands of people gathered to watch them transport Lucy to her new home where she would be restored so that she could again delight young and old. They had to take down the telephone and electric lines to move her down the street. It was her first and last time to travel.
Once Lucy was on her new site, it took several years to complete her restoration, and in 1976 Lucy received a new howdah completing the work. The howdah is the roofed platform on her back from which visitors can gaze out to sea, look far out over the community of Margate north to Ventnor and Atlantic City, south towards Longport and Ocean City, and inland towards the bay and the mainland.
Lucy is hollow, and children, parents, grandparents and friends enter into the belly of the elephant by climbing the stairs inside her left rear leg. Being inside Lucy is great fun. Visitors find historical information about Lucy inside her, as well as in the gift shop. Presidents and dignitaries from the U.S. and abroad have visited the great pachyderm over the years, as well as people from near and far. However, Lucy doesn’t play favorites. She stands in silent testimony to Mr. Lafferty’s vision of a great way to get people to come to Margate, and she rewards them with her size and structure. The final climb up to the howdah completes the adventure, and then it’s down again to take the exit from her right rear leg.
Visitors can return to the nearby gift shop just a few feet away to purchase tee-shirts, hats and other memorabilia to remember their visit and help the great elephant live on in the future. Children are fascinated by Lucy, and adults are, as well, when they see her for the first time. Lucy was apparently modeled on the Indian elephant because of her howdah and ear size. Indian elephants have smaller ears than their African relatives.
Over the years Lucy has experienced many things, both good and bad, but today she is a sight to see and a joy to visit, especially with children. We’re not sure if she’s the biggest elephant in the world, but she certainly must rank among them, and summertime is definitely Lucy time in Margate, New Jersey.
In addition to the gift shop/ticket sales building, visitors can visit the seaside snack bar, as well as the restaurants just across the way, with two open-air restaurants serving summer visitors, as well as indoor dining all year long. During the summers weekly band concerts are held just a few feet away from Lucy’s trunk in an enclosed area, ideal for such events, containing a raised platform for the performers, a dance floor below, and bleachers for people who’ve come to enjoy the show.
Lucy has probably overheard many secrets shared inside her in 125 years, and she keeps them well, but we can tell one about her. It seems that Lucy is really a he and not a she, at least that’s what we’ve been told. How do we know? That’s for you to find out. We’re not giving away Lucy’s secret that easily. It is all part of the fun of getting to know Lucy the Elephant in Margate, New Jersey.
http://www.lucytheelephant.org/