James V. Lafferty built Lucy the Elephant in 1881 to draw prospective real-estate buyers to Margate, New Jersey, then called South Atlantic City. Nearly 90 years later, volunteers raised money to move the deteriorating landmark away from a threatened development site. Lucy still welcomes visitors; Parade reported 42,267 tours in 2023, a figure that should be understood as a secondary-source count of tours, not a verified count of unique visitors.
Why is there a giant elephant in Margate?
Lucy began as an elaborate real-estate promotion. Philadelphia builder James V. Lafferty built the structure in 1881 to attract prospective buyers to South Atlantic City, now Margate. The adjacent railroad helped bring visitors to see the spectacle, according to the official history.
Its original name was the Elephant Bazaar. The New Jersey Historic Trust describes Lucy as six stories high and weighing 90 tons. Lafferty designed two other elephant structures, the Light of Asia and the Elephantine Colossus; Lucy is the only one still intact, according to the official history.
Who built Lucy, and how did it get its name?
Lafferty built the Elephant Bazaar in 1881 and sold it to Anton Gertzen in 1887. In 1902, Anton’s wife, Sophia Gertzen, renamed the structure Lucy, and it became a tavern, according to the official timeline.
#1 Best Overall
- Model kits for uncomplicated plastic model building enjoyment.
- For all model building fans aged 10 and older.
- Made in Germany.
How was Lucy saved from demolition?
By 1969, Lucy’s land was being sold to developers, putting the deteriorating structure at risk of demolition. Community members organized a preservation campaign and raised funds to move Lucy to city-owned property a few blocks away. The move took place in 1970. After restoration, Lucy reopened to the public in 1974, and in 1976 she was designated a National Historic Landmark, the official history records.
The effort did not end with the relocation. Lucy’s metal-clad exterior and coastal setting make preservation an ongoing task. The New Jersey Historic Trust records multiple grants to the Save Lucy Committee: $182,390 in 1992, $305,190 in 1995, $20,400 in 2019, $673,668 in 2020, and $669,133 in 2022. These are separate awards recorded for different years, not a single grant or a breakdown of identical work.
Rank #2
A preservation-project account published for a 2023 professional event says work completed in December 2022 replaced the deteriorated exterior metal skin with Monel (Nickel 400), alongside wood repairs and repainting. That material detail comes from the event account, not the state grant record: Preservation New Jersey’s project page.
How many tours did Lucy have in 2023?
Parade reported that Lucy hosted a record 42,267 tours in 2023, surpassing the previous record it attributed to 2018. Treat this as Parade’s reported figure: it is not independently confirmed by an official attendance record in the sources cited here. The count is tours, not necessarily unique visitors; the published account does not establish how many people took each tour. Parade’s report.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRank #3
The New Jersey Historic Trust says more than 25,000 visitors come to the landmark annually, but it does not specify a measurement year or say that the figure counts guided tours. That broader visitor statement is not directly comparable to Parade’s precise 2023 tour count. New Jersey Historic Trust.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you visit Lucy the Elephant?
Lucy is open for guided tours, but check the official visitor FAQ for current hours, ticket prices, and operating details, which can change. The FAQ says tours last about 20–25 minutes and generally begin every 45 minutes during business hours. A ticket is required to enter the structure.
Rank #4
Plan for stairs inside: access to Lucy’s interior is by spiral stairs. The grounds and gift shop have accessible routes, according to the official FAQ. Lucy is a National Historic Landmark, not a National Park site.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →
