This Wacky National Historic Landmark Started as a Real Estate Scheme in 19th Century New Jersey

Lucy the Elephant, New Jersey

Back when Atlantic City was just getting started, a real estate developer built a giant wooden elephant to attract buyers to the Jersey Shore. That six-story pachyderm, Lucy, has outlasted pretty much everything else from 1881 – and yes, you can still climb up into her howdah for the same ocean views that wowed Victorian tourists.

Lucy Almost Got Torn Down in the 1960s

The old elephant building nearly disappeared forever. By the 1960s, Lucy was falling apart, and no one had enough money to fix her up.

A group called the Save Lucy Committee stepped in during 1969 to help. They collected money to move Lucy two blocks away to a safer spot and restore her completely. In 2022, Lucy needed another big fix-up that cost $2.4 million and kept her closed for more than 15 months. Today, money from tours and donations helps keep Lucy in good shape.

This Elephant Building Has Been Many Things Over Time

Lucy started out as a place to sell real estate, but that was just the beginning. In 1902, she became a restaurant called the “Elephant Bazaar,” and later turned into a bar during summer. There was even a British pub in one of her legs.

An English family made Lucy their summer house in the early 1900s and put a working kitchen inside her. Kids used to play in the howdah – that’s the carrier on her back – where they could look out at the ocean.

Someone Could Patent an Elephant Building Back Then

James Lafferty got an official patent from the government in 1882 that said only he could make elephant-shaped buildings for 17 years. It was officially called U.S. Patent 268,503.

He built two more elephants after Lucy: a seven-story one at Coney Island that burned down in 1896, and a smaller one in Cape May that was torn down in 1900. Lucy is the only one still standing.

Lucy Is Built Like a Giant Puzzle

Inside Lucy’s skin of tin plates, there are about a million wooden pieces held together by 250 kegs of nails and 200 big bolts. Her legs are hollow and work like columns to hold her up, while her ears help air move through the building.

Her eyes aren’t just for show – they’re actually windows made of glass, each one 17 inches across. When strong winds blow, Lucy can gently sway without getting damaged. You’ll climb 130 steps to reach the carrier on her back.

The Elephant Once Had a Fancy Home Inside

Back in the early 1900s, Lucy wasn’t just any summer house – she was quite fancy inside. The main room had special tin ceilings, and the sitting room was decorated with fine woodwork and fancy crystal lights.

The kitchen fit nicely in one leg and had a coal stove for cooking. People could sit in the howdah up top and see all the way from Atlantic City to Ocean City. By 1903, Lucy even had running water and electric lights.

Lucy Took a Stand During Prohibition

During the 1920s, when alcohol was illegal, Lucy became part of the debate. Someone painted huge letters on her side that said ‘Vote Against Prohibition’ – big enough that people could read it from the boardwalk.

The message stayed there until 1933 when Prohibition ended. After that, workers cleaned off the paint during repairs.

How Lucy Stands Up to Big Storms

This elephant building is tougher than she looks. She made it through the powerful Great Atlantic Hurricane in 1944 and stood firm during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 while buildings around her were badly damaged.

Lightning did hit twice, but workers quickly fixed it. Lucy stays standing because she’s built to move slightly when strong winds blow.

Lucy Changed the Rules About Historic Places

Getting Lucy named as a National Historic Landmark in 1976 wasn’t easy. Usually, old buildings that were moved couldn’t get this special status.

But Lucy’s supporters convinced the government that moving her two blocks was necessary to save her. This decision helped change the rules about protecting other historic buildings that need to be moved.

You Can Explore Secret Paths Inside Lucy

When you visit Lucy today, you’ll find winding staircases that take you through the elephant’s insides. The main spiral staircase goes up through her back leg into her body, where you can still see the original wooden beams.

While new safety features have been added over the years, you can still spot old trap doors that once connected different floors. From the howdah on top, you’ll see the same beautiful ocean view that people enjoyed in the 1880s.

The Elephant’s Paint Colors Tell a Story

Lucy wears colors that are based on how she looked like in 1881. Her body is painted in a special gray-beige that looks like real elephant skin, based on paint samples from her original tin plates.

The howdah on top shines in gold, while other decorative parts wear deep colors from the Victorian era. Every time Lucy needs a new paint job, workers carefully match these historical colors.

Lucy Started a New Kind of Building Style

Lucy was one of the first buildings in America made to look like something else, and she started a trend. At 65 feet tall, she was the world’s biggest elephant building until 2017.

Other animal-shaped buildings popped up across America in the early 1900s after people saw how popular Lucy was, though none of them lasted as long or became as famous.