Editing Lucy the Elephant (section)

== History ==
=== 1882–1899 ===
[[File:Lucy-USpatent268503 1882.jpg|thumb|left|{{US patent|268503}}|241x241px]]

====Patenting and construction====

On December 5, 1882, the U.S. Patent Office granted [[James V. Lafferty]] Patent #268503, giving him the exclusive right to make, use or sell an "[[Zoomorphism|animal-shaped]] building" for a duration of seventeen years. Lafferty funded the design and construction of Lucy at South Atlantic City, now called [[Margate City, New Jersey|Margate]]. He employed Philadelphia architects William Free and J. Mason Kirby for the design of this example of [[novelty architecture]] .<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://www.brownstoner.com/brooklyn-life/walkabout-j-mason-kirby-brooklyns-elephant-architect/|title=Walkabout: J. Mason Kirby – Brooklyn's Elephant Architect {{!}} Brownstoner|last=Spellen |first=Suzanne |date=August 13, 2013|work=Brownstoner|access-date=May 29, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> Lucy was modeled after [[Jumbo]], the famous elephant with ''[[Barnum and Bailey's|Barnum and Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth]],'' and constructed at a cost of $25,000 - $38,000.<ref name="Save Lucy" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/2017/08/13/jersey-icons-lucy-elephant/525958001/|title=Jersey Icons: Lucy the Elephant|work=North Jersey|access-date=February 1, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref name="brownstoner.com">[https://www.brownstoner.com/brooklyn-life/walkabout-j-mason-kirby-brooklyns-elephant-architect/ Walkabout: J. Mason Kirby – Brooklyn’s Elephant Architect]</ref>

Initially named "''Elephant Bazaar"'', the structure stands at 65 feet (19.7 m) in height, 60 feet (18.3 m) in length, and 18 feet (5.5 m) in width and weighs about 90 tons. It is currently listed as the [[List of the tallest statues in the United States|12th tallest statue]] in the United States. Lucy was constructed with nearly one million pieces of wood, and required 200 kegs of nails, 4 tons of bolts and iron bars; 12,000 square feet of tin covers the exterior.  There are 22 windows placed throughout the structure.<ref name="Save Lucy">{{cite book|last=McMahon|first=William|title=The Story of Lucy the Elephant|year=1988|publisher=Save Lucy Committee, Inc.|location=Margate, N.J.|pages=40}}</ref>

====Early use and sale====

Originally, Lafferty brought potential real estate customers to view parcels of land from Lucy's [[howdah]] (carriage). The howdah offers unique views of [[Margate City, New Jersey|Margate]], [[Atlantic City|Atlantic City's]] skyline, the beach, and the Atlantic Ocean and it serves as an observation deck for modern day visitors during tours.<ref name=":3" />

The structure was sold to Anton Gertzen of Philadelphia in 1887 and remained in his family until 1970. Anton's daughter-in-law, Sophia Gertzen, reportedly dubbed the structure "Lucy the Elephant" in 1902.<ref name="Save Lucy"/> The shape of Lucy's head is characteristic of an [[Asian elephant]], but only males have tusks. Initially, the elephant was referred to as a male, but eventually became commonly known as a female.<ref name=":3" />

=== 1900–1999 ===
[[File:Lucy the Margate Elephant HABS NJ,1-MARGCI,1-7.jpg|thumb|[[Historic American Buildings Survey|HABS]] image circa 1976|260x260px]]
[[File:NORTH ELEVATION - Margate Elephant, Atlantic Avenue and Decatur Street, Margate City, Atlantic County, NJ HABS NJ,1-MARGCI,1-3.tif|right|thumb|Lucy in disrepair circa 1965|257x257px]]

Through the first half of the 20th century, Lucy served as a restaurant, business office, cottage, and tavern (the last closed by [[Prohibition]]). The building was depicted on many souvenir postcards, often referred to as "''The Elephant Hotel of Atlantic City''." (The actual hotel was in a nearby building, not inside the elephant.)

By the 1960s, Lucy had fallen into disrepair and was scheduled for demolition. In 1969, Edwin T. Carpenter and others formed the Margate Civic Association, which later became the ''Save Lucy Committee'' under Josephine Harron and Sylvia Carpenter. They were given a 30-day deadline to move the edifice or pay for its demolition. Lucy was spared through various fund-raising events, most notably a door-to-door canvassing campaign by volunteers.

On July 20, 1970, Lucy was moved to a city-owned lot, located about 100 yards away. The move took about seven hours and Lucy remained closed to the public for repairs until 1974. The restoration entailed supporting Lucy's original wooden frame with new steel and replacing the howdah. A plug of green glass was set into the howdah platform to refract light into Lucy's interior.<ref name="Fears">{{cite web|last=Fears|first=Danika|title=Historic landmark 'Lucy the Elephant' survived Sandy|url=http://todaynews.today.com/_news/2012/11/01/14861060-historic-landmark-lucy-the-elephant-survived-sandy?lite|work=The Today Show|publisher=NBC News|access-date=November 6, 2012}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

In 1971, Lucy was added to both the [[New Jersey Register of Historic Places|NJRHP (New Jersey Register of Historic Places}]] and the [[National Register of Historic Places|NRHP (National Register of Historic Places)]].<ref name=":4" />

In 1976, Lucy was designated a [[National Historic Landmark]] during the [[United States Bicentennial]] celebration.<ref name=":0" />

=== 2000–present ===
[[File:Lucy the Elephant NJ7.jpg|thumb|Lucy's interior in 2019|259x259px]]
Lucy's birthday is commemorated each year on July 20, which includes a fundraising event and celebration of children's games and much fanfare.

In 2006, Lucy was struck by [[lightning]], blackening the tips of the tusks. In October 2012, [[Hurricane Sandy]] made landfall near Margate. Lucy remained unscathed, although the surge reached the building's toes and a small booth in the parking lot was blown over.<ref name="Fears" />

On July 23, 2016, Lucy's staff announced the building's fake candidacy for [[President of the United States]] at a celebration for her 135th birthday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lucytheelephant.org/announcements/lucys-135th-birthday-party/|title=Lucy's 135th Birthday Party|date=2016|access-date=February 17, 2017}}</ref> In 2016, Lucy had 135,000 visitors at the site, 35,000 of whom took the guided tour.<ref name=":0" />

On February 27, 2020, Lucy began allowing overnight stays. Lucy was listed on [[Airbnb]] for $138 per night on March 17, 18 and 19, 2020. It marked the first time Lucy had been inhabited by humans since it was rented as a home in the early 1900s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lucy The Elephant: Now Listed Only On Airbnb |url=https://lucytheelephant.org/announcements/lucy-the-elephant-now-listed-only-on-airbnb/ |website=Lucy the Elephant |date=February 27, 2020 |access-date=27 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Tully|first=Tracey|date=2020-02-27|title=New Airbnb Listing: A 65-Foot-Tall Landmark Named Lucy the Elephant|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/nyregion/lucy-elephant-nj-airbnb.html|access-date=2020-06-14|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In August 2021, the Save Lucy Committee announced a plan to repair and replace the metal exterior skin after receiving a $500,000 grant from the [[National Park Service]]. The grant was based on results of a 2021 inspection that revealed that more than half of Lucy's metal skin had degraded beyond repair. The project was partially funded by a grant from the Preserve New Jersey Preservation Fund administered by the New Jersey Historic Trust. Lucy temporarily closed on September 20, 2021, with a reopening date set for Memorial Day 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/ap-online/2021/08/25/boardwalk-landmark-lucy-the-elephant-to-get-brand-new-skin|title = Boardwalk landmark, Lucy the Elephant, to get brand new skin}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Rosenberg|first=Amy S.|title=Lucy the Elephant to close for $1.4 million makeover|url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/new-jersey/lucy-the-elephant-closing-jersey-shore-margate-20210824.html|access-date=2021-08-28|website=www.inquirer.com|date=August 24, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>  After delays, Lucy reopened on December 28, 2022. The overall cost of the restoration was $2.4 million, a substantial increase from initial projections.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vazquez  |first=Selena |date=December 28, 2022 |title=Lucy the Elephant unveils new look after 15-month restoration project |url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/lucy-the-elephant-unveils-new-look-after-15-month-restoration-project/article_618ffb3e-86d7-11ed-b9c4-af370adc2a36.html |work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]] |location= |access-date=January 13, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=NJ.com |first=Nyah Marshall {{!}} NJ Advance Media for |date=2022-12-29 |title=Lucy the Elephant reopens with grand light show after 15-month makeover of Jersey Shore icon |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2022/12/lucy-the-elephant-reopens-with-grand-light-show-after-15-month-makeover-of-jersey-shore-icon.html |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=nj |language=en}}</ref>

On January 5, 2023, the City of Margate approved a plan to create a visitor's center on Lucy's existing site. The proposed 2-story building is designed to include a retail area, information and displays, meeting spaces, and restrooms. The new structure will be located on the site of the existing gift shop and would be elevated to meet current flood codes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Galloway |first=Nanette LoBiondo |date=2023-01-06 |title=Margate to move forward with Lucy the Elephant welcome center plan |url=https://www.downbeach.com/2023/01/06/margate-to-move-forward-with-lucy-the-elephant-welcome-center-plan/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=DOWNBEACH |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2023, Lucy booked a new record high of 42,267 tours, surpassing the previous record set in 2018. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Lucy The Elephant - The World's Greatest Elephant |url=https://lucytheelephant.org/ |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=Lucy The Elephant |language=en-US}}</ref>

On August 12, 2024, a $500,000 federal grant to fund the restoration of Lucy's interior spaces was announced.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NJ.com |first=Nyah Marshall {{!}} NJ Advance Media for |date=2024-08-11 |title=Jersey Shore icon Lucy the Elephant is getting $500K interior makeover |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2024/08/jersey-shore-icon-lucy-the-elephant-is-getting-500k-interior-makeover.html |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=nj |language=en}}</ref> However, the grant was [[Department of Government Efficiency|rescinded]] on April 11, 2025. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/lucy-the-elephant-new-jersey-doge-federal-grant-funding-cut/4158918/|title=DOGE cuts federal grant for Lucy the Elephant repairs, executive director says}}</ref>