Multi-million-dollar changes coming to historic Lucy the Elephant structure

MARGATE, NJ — Modeling with his brother for a t-shirt that promoted Lucy the Elephant is how Ian Schwadron looks back on one his first encounters with the 143-year-old structure in Margate, N.J. Schwadron, who now works as a tour guide, is similar to every Margation and nearby locals who have a childhood memory of the 65-foot, 90-ton elephant.

“Coming to Lucy every day is something that’s just awesome to do,” Schwadron said.

Soon visitors will see Lucy the Elephant undergo a multi-million-dollar restoration project . The Save Lucy Committee recently received funding from historic preservation grant programs at both the state and federal levels totaling almost $2.4 million. However, the committee continues working to raise at least $800,000 to complete this latest phase of construction.

“We were graciously given half a million dollars from Senator Cory Booker to work on the interior restoration, and we’re really proud of that,” said Jason Tell, vice president of the Save Lucy Committee. “I think people are going to be really excited to come inside to see what Lucy looks like again.”

Lucy the Elephant is the oldest roadside attraction in the United States. He was commissioned in 1881 as a tourist attraction for a real estate agency to lure prospective homebuyers down the shore. Interested parties could walk up the nearly 50 steps to the top of the elephant to pick out a plot of land in the seaside city. By 1969, the structure was nearly derelict and the owners of the property on which it stood had sold the land to developers. The elephant was slated for demolition. In a volunteer effort of heroic proportions, The Save Lucy Committee raised the funds to move the elephant to a city-owned property a few blocks away and to restore it. By 1974, the exterior and “super structure” of the elephant had been restored and Lucy was once again opened to the public for the first time in 12 years. The Committee also ran a small gift shop out of a small, one room train station (circa 1881) that had been moved along with Lucy from the original site. The gift shop and ticket sales for tours provided funds to support the restoration.

Today, Lucy the Elephant continues to fundraise. For more information on how to visit or donate, go to Lucy The Elephant – The World’s Greatest Elephant .

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