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Historic monument · Atlantic City, New Jersey
Lucy, the Margate Elephant
A six-story wooden building shaped like an elephant, built in 1881 in Margate, south of Atlantic City, which is open for guided interior tours.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Lucy, the Margate Elephant
Lucy was built in 1881 by James V. Lafferty, an entrepreneur who wanted to draw buyers to plots of a then-empty beach south of Atlantic City. The wooden structure, covered with metal sheets, is about 20 meters tall and is the oldest building of its kind in the United States.
Throughout the 20th century, the elephant served as an office, summer house, and tavern, and was nearly demolished in the 1960s. Residents formed a committee, managed to move it to a city-owned lot, and restored the structure, which became a National Historic Landmark in 1976.
Visits are guided: you enter by a staircase inside one of the legs, walk through the body room, with windows and an exhibit about Lucy’s history, and climb to the howdah, the seat on her back, from where you can see the beach and the houses of Margate.
Around it there is a small seaside park. The elephant is a very popular photo spot even for those who don’t go inside.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About an hour, with the guided tour.
Best time
In the morning or late afternoon, outside the busiest summer hours.
How to get there
It’s on Atlantic Avenue in Margate City, about 9 km from downtown Atlantic City. The jitneys don’t go there; go by car, taxi, or local bus along Atlantic Avenue.
Tip
Visits are in groups with set departure times; on summer weekends, arrive early. Site improvement projects may change operations: confirm before you go.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Lucy, the Margate Elephant
Can you go inside the elephant Lucy?
Yes, with a guided tour. You climb inside one of the legs up to the body room and the seat on the back.
Where is the elephant Lucy located?
In Margate City, on the same island as Atlantic City, about 9 km south of downtown, by the beach.
Why was Lucy built?
To attract land buyers to an empty beach in 1881. Today she is a National Historic Landmark.