Located off the beach in Margate along Atlantic Avenue, Lucy the Elephant has been a fixture of the Atlantic City area since 1881. She is loved and admired by locals as well as the numerous tourists who visit her each year. Lucy is the world's largest wooden elephant, a National Historic Landmark, and a local museum that exhibits many historical artifacts and documents about southern New Jersey.
Standing 65-feet high (six stories) and weighing 90 tons, Lucy was originally constructed to serve as a hotel. Lucy's designer, James V. Lafferty, wanted to construct a building to attract major attention to the area south of Atlantic City, known today as Margate. And attention is what Lafferty got. In the late-19th century, such an architectural feat was unheard of, almost taboo. After a brief stint as a hotel, Lucy was transformed into a tavern. Then, during the 1960s, Lucy was in severe disrepair. The giant elephant would serve as a brothel before confronting the threat of the wrecking ball. However, citizens banded together and raised enough money to keep the landmark alive.
Lucy sees about 30,000 visitors a year who come to explore the museum that is her innards as well as the outer grounds. Incidentally, Lucy is located at one of the city's major beach hotspots. Ventura's Greenhouse Café is located just across the street, with an outdoor deck mere steps away from the ocean. A mixed crowd occupies both the beach site and the café. A great spot during the summer!
As someone near enough to call Lucy a neighbor, I must disagree with the above designation of her as a "tourist trap" She's very cool, and costs nothing to see from the outside. A few dollars is charged to take the tour inside her as a way to defray the cost of her upkeep, which is ongoing. She's w ....Click Here for the full review
Reviewer: Ilene Rosenthal, Ocean City Date Submitted: 12/15/2004
Boston
is one of America's most historic cities. The area is home to an immense
collection of historic sites, as well as popular modern attractions, ranging
from Paul Revere's House and the Boston Tea Party to John Hancock Tower and
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Walt Disney Dolphin Resort Hotel compares well with the 188 hotels in
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be found at 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd. Walt Disney Dolphin Resort Orlando
contains Restaurant, Airport Shuttle - For Fee, and Fitness Facility. Room
options include: Spacious room. .... more
