The Fascinating Story of Lucy the Elephant in Margate, NJ

Credit: By Acroterion - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79495288

Located in Margate City, NJ, Lucy the Elephant is a unique piece of American history. Standing at six stories tall, she has been wowing visitors since 1881 and was even declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

But who is Lucy, and what makes her so special?

Lucy was built by James V. Lafferty in an effort to attract visitors to the area. She was originally intended to be a hotel, with rooms on the inside of her massive frame. However, she ended up serving a different purpose - as a marketing tool. She was even used as a tavern at one point!

Over the years, Lucy has been through a lot. She has survived fires, hurricanes, and even being threatened with demolition in the 1960s. However, thanks to the efforts of preservationists and some generous donors, she has been restored multiple times and is now more popular than ever.

Lucy the Elephant underwent a $2.4 million exterior renovation recently. The next phase of renovation, expected to start in September 2023, includes restoring damaged interior surfaces, replacing the HVAC system and installing new alarm and fire suppression systems. The cost of this renovation will be funded by a $600,000 grant from the NJ Historic Trust. Additionally, the committee plans to demolish and replace the existing gift shop building, which is now insufficient to meet Lucy's needs due to the increase in visitors.

The new building will have larger retail space, storage, second floor meeting room, and restrooms for tours and cultural education. 

If you're planning a trip to Margate or the South Jersey Shore soon, be sure to add Lucy the Elephant to your list of must-see sites. You won't regret it! 

Learn more about Lucy's history, hours of operation, current accessibility and features here: https://lucytheelephant.org/