Lucy the Elephant

Lucy the Elephant in Margate City, New Jersey, is a six-story building in the shape of an elephant on Atlantic Avenue (9200 Atlantic Avenue), on the beach side. James V. Lafferty had it built in 1881 to sell lots and attract tourists. The wooden frame is clad in tin, and Lucy is about 20 m (65 feet) tall and weighs roughly 90 tons. She has served as a real estate office, restaurant, summer home and, for a time, a tavern. Lafferty also built an elephant at Coney Island and licensed the design for one in Cape May; only Lucy survives.

On July 20, 1970, the building was moved about 90 m (100 yards) to save it from demolition. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1976. After a restoration, Lucy has been open again since December 28, 2022. On the tour you climb a spiral staircase in a hind leg, watch a video and photo exhibits, and finally stand on the open-air howdah with a view of the ocean. According to the operator, tours start every 45 minutes; hours are shorter in the off-season, so check them in advance (as of October 2026).