The Oldest Atlantic City, New Jersey – Absecon Island Landmark

It’s very rare that you can say something like this. The oldest landmark in the Atlantic City, New Jersey - Absecon Island area actually looks better in 2023 than it did in 1882.

It still stands tall and proud and in pristine condition, located in Margate, New Jersey, which was originally known as South Atlantic City.

It is officially recognized as America’s oldest roadside attraction.

It was built and opened in 1882, by James V. Lafferty. It was designed as a six-story elephant-shaped structure, made from wood and covered in tin.

It stands 65-feet tall. Lafferty built it to help attract potential customers for his real estate possessions in the region.

The Elephant was built at a cost of nearly $40,000 in 1882, which today would cost about $1,100,000.

It was originally known as "The Elephant Bizaar" (not Bazaar).

The Elephant required more than one million boards of wood, 200 kegs of nails, 4 tons of steel bolts, and 12,000 square feet of tin to cover the exterior, which became the skin of the elephant.

It weighed-in at more than 90 tons.

By 1887, Lafferty had begun to experience some challenging financial times. So, it was time to sell many of his properties at the Jersey Shore.

This meant that Lafferty would have to sell the giant Elephant, too.

The Gertzen Family purchased the Elephant and offered full tours of the giant Elephant at a cost of 10 cents per-customer.

You could go inside through the left leg of the Elephant and upward through a spiral staircase to reach the belly of the elephant.

Another staircase from inside the elephant led to the outside and top of the elephant's howdah, where visitors would be treated to a wonderful aerial view of the city from six and a half stories above the ground.

In 1902 the daughter-in-law of owner Anton Gertzen named her "Lucy."

It is believed that Lucy was modeled after the famous Barnum and Bailey's "Greatest Show on Earth" circus elephant.

Lucy was originally known as "The Elephant Hotel,” despite having never been hotel. The hotel was adjacent to her where people would wait for availability in order to stay right next to the giant Elephant.

You can see the hotel sign in this 1910 photo directly below.

Lucy is one of three giant Elephants that were built by Lafferty to help attract business in Coney Island, NY, and Cape May, New Jersey as well Margate, New Jersey.

A fire destroyed the Coney Island Elephant in 1898 and the Cape May Elephant was in such poor condition that it had to be demolished in the year 1900.

Lucy also came very close to the wrecking ball. In 1968, a group of citizens came together to form "The Save Lucy Committee."

A committed resident of Margate named Josephine Harron was intent on saving Margate's landmark and she became the president of the committee.

Here are some great Don P. Hurley photographs over the years.

Lucy The Elephant is proof that some things can endure and stand the test of time.