Wednesday, Jul. 28, 2010
Lucy the Elephant; Margate City, NJ
Ever hear about the wave of animal-shaped buildings that swept the nation in the 1800s? No? That's probably because it never happened. But it wasn't for a lack of effort from Victorian speculator James V. Lafferty, who hit upon the idea of driving up interest in beachfront property he owned by constructing 'Lucy,' a building shaped like an elephant. Though 'zoomorphic architecture' failed to take off, Lucy became a popular tourist attraction, her belly serving variously as a restaurant, summer home and speakeasy. Though she fell into disrepair in the 1960s, Lucy was soon saved from the wrecking ball, moved onto public land and designated a National Historic Landmark. For visitors, she's one elephant they'll never forget.