lucy the elephant can be found at 9200 atlantic ave in margate city, nj. to be honest, you can't miss her. towering 6 stories high above the beach, she is a sight to behold. she was constructed in 1881 of wood and tin sheeting by james v. lafferty and originally resided a few blocks away from where she stands today. over the years she has been a restaurant, business office, cottage, and tavern (the last closed by Prohibition).
by the 1960's lucy had fallen into disrepair and was scheduled for demolition but thanks to contributions of local residents and the hard work of volunteers, lucy was saved and completely refurbished. and in 1976, lucy was designated a national historic land mark. just think, she was so very close to disappearing. margate just wouldn't be the same without her. there is a small gift shop and for a nominal fee you can take a tour where they show you a dvd history of her then and now (including a bit about how she was put on a truck and slowly moved up the street while residents crowded the streets to watch, like an odd giant elephant parade of one. she is defintely worth a visit. i chose to go in the winter because i am not a fan of crowds and in the summer months margate is a pretty busy place to be. so there was no wait and the sweet lady in the gift shop was more than happy to tell her personal memories of lucy. it was cold and windy on the beach. but the tour was only about 20 minutes long and the guide was more than happy to answer any questions you have. my favorite part of the tour? peeking through a window and finding a pile of giant peanuts.
so if you are ever in the atlantic city area, make sure you cruise by and take gander at lucy. you will love her. i love lucy :) please stop by my facebook and instagram pages to see more fun photos of my lucy experience. feel free to contact me with and info or questions! on to my next adventure...
