Philadelphia, PA - Located in Margate City, New Jersey, the World's Largest Elephant has stood tall and proud for over a hundred years. The elephant, constructed in 1881, stands six stories high and weighs 90 tons. The exterior of the elephant is covered with 12,000 square feet of sheet tin.
Lucy The Elephant in Margate City NJ
Lucy the Elephant is one of the oldest roadside attractions in the U.S. It is located five miles south of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Real estate speculator James V. Lafferty built the elephant in 1881. He envisioned the building as an attractive attraction to lure investors to his South Atlantic City real estate holdings.
The elephant has stood through numerous storms, including hurricanes. The tusks of the elephant are 22 feet long. The howdah on the elephant provides spectacular views of the Atlantic City skyline. A restaurant and gift shop are located inside the elephant.
The elephant was initially built as a tourist attraction, but the elephant was converted into a tavern in the 20th century. Lucy is still standing today. She is the last of three pachyderms to be found on the eastern coast of the U.S. The other two are Elephantine Colossus, located in Coney Island, Brooklyn, and the Elephant Hotel, which stands 122 feet tall.
Thousands of visitors climb the narrow spiral staircase into the belly of the elephant every year. They also visit Lucy's gift shop and purchase postcards. The gift shop will remain open during the restoration. The exterior of the elephant has not been painted in seven years. This will be replaced with a new metal skin. The new exterior will cost about $1.4 million.
