Last week, we talked about taking a vacation down the Jersey shore and different ways visitors can save money vacationing there, such as using a 15 passenger van from Newark, NJ and driving down with a family and friends to visit Island Beach State Park or other area beaches for a short getaway.
While a shore vacation typically involves such activities as laying on the beach, eating sausage sandwiches, Kohrs soft-serve ice cream, and orangeade on the boardwalk, and maybe playing mini-golf or arcade games at night, there’s also plenty of unique and memorable sites along the way.
Despite being the third smallest state in the country, NJ is crammed full of weird and wacky sites, stories, and events. In fact, there’s even a magazine called “Weird NJ” that chronicles all the fun and odd things in the Garden State. One such site is in Margate (just outside of Atlantic City), home to Lucy the elephant.
Lucy is actually a building shaped like an elephant. She was built in the late 1800s by James V. Lafferty, a New Jersey architect who actually designed a total of three elephant-shaped buildings. The other two were both destroyed (one, at Coney Island, New York, was destroyed by fire, and the other, in Cape May, NJ, was torn down), but Lucy has remained pretty much intact.
Though she was scheduled for demolition in the 1960s after falling into disrepair, residents rallied and formed a successful “Save Lucy” campaign. As a result, Lucy was refurbished and named a National Historic Landmark in 1976. Since then, she has been well-maintained and stays in great shape; the only hardship she’s experienced recently was being struck by lightening in 2006. Fortunately, Lucy survived with hardly any damage – just the tips of her tusks were blackened.
Throughout her long history, Lucy has seen and experienced many changes along the Jersey shore. She has functioned as a summer home and a tavern, and was even damaged in hurricanes in 1903 and 1944. She’s been a favorite destination for tourists and locals alike, and has boasted such prominent dignitaries as President Woodrow Wilson and Henry Ford.
Today, Lucy is open for tours every day between June and Labor Day, and on weekends from April through December, though NJ visitors can admire her standing outside throughout the year. Additionally, group tours for 10 or more can be scheduled year-round. The tours are very reasonably-priced (under $10 per person), and provide a detailed, interactive history of Lucy’s life. In addition to tours of the actual elephant (aka building), visitors can check out the museum, gift shop, and refreshment pavilion.
Tours of the elephant last about 20 – 25 minutes, and the museum takes another 20 minutes or so to explore. While visiting Lucy won’t be much more than a short morning or afternoon trip, it’s a great stop on your way “down the shore” (Jersey-speak for going to the beach). It’s also only about a 10 minute drive from Atlantic City.
Lucy’s definitely a memorable place to visit,for both kids and adults alike. Whether you opt to rent a car and take a driving tour of NJ’s weird and wacky sites (don’t worry, we’ll explore more in upcoming blogs!) or just swing by on your way down the shore or to Atlantic City, Lucy will certainly be the highlight of your trip!
