Jeremy Turner's Stuff

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The Colossus Elephant of Coney IslandElephantine Colossus was built by James V. Lafferty at Coney Island, N.Y., as an attraction for the spot that at the time was the Disneyland of its era. Work was started in the spring of 1884. The Elephant, intended strictly as an amusement attraction, is said to have cost $65,000. It measured 122 feet in height and contained seven floors of exhibits and rooms. Built two years before the Statue of Liberty, the Coney Island Elephant caused considerable excitement. However, it was a financial loss from the beginning. From the Howdah which topped the structure the visitor had an aerial view of more than 50 miles of ocean, bays and the cities of New York, Brooklyn and Jersey City. The elephant was divided into 31 rooms, each with its own designation such as Main Hall, Shoulder Room, Throat Room, Stomach Room, etc. Sixty-five windows took care of ventilation. It was illuminated by 25 electric lights. According to notes of J. T. McCaddon, manager, the Elephant contained 3,500,000 feet of lumber, 11,000 kegs of nails, 12 tons of iron bolts and is covered by 57,000 square feet of tin. It took 263 men, 129 full working days to complete. Located on Surf Avenue, it was just across from the terminals of all the railroad and steamboat lines into Coney Island. In fact, McCaddon bragged that the “New York and Sea Beach RR runs direct to the entrance of the Elephant”. Finally Lafferty sold the structure to a Philadelphia syndicate. The structure’s worth as an attraction faded as newer ones grew up around it and competed for the visitors’ dollars. From newspaper accounts of the time it became somewhat of a run-down boarding house. By 1896 it was practically a deserted structure. On Sunday evening, Sept. 27, 1896, the Elephant building caught fire and crumbled to the sand.See also: Lucy the Elephant

The Colossus Elephant of Coney Island

Elephantine Colossus was built by James V. Lafferty at Coney Island, N.Y., as an attraction for the spot that at the time was the Disneyland of its era. Work was started in the spring of 1884. The Elephant, intended strictly as an amusement attraction, is said to have cost $65,000. It measured 122 feet in height and contained seven floors of exhibits and rooms.

Built two years before the Statue of Liberty, the Coney Island Elephant caused considerable excitement. However, it was a financial loss from the beginning. From the Howdah which topped the structure the visitor had an aerial view of more than 50 miles of ocean, bays and the cities of New York, Brooklyn and Jersey City.

The elephant was divided into 31 rooms, each with its own designation such as Main Hall, Shoulder Room, Throat Room, Stomach Room, etc. Sixty-five windows took care of ventilation. It was illuminated by 25 electric lights. According to notes of J. T. McCaddon, manager, the Elephant contained 3,500,000 feet of lumber, 11,000 kegs of nails, 12 tons of iron bolts and is covered by 57,000 square feet of tin. It took 263 men, 129 full working days to complete.

Located on Surf Avenue, it was just across from the terminals of all the railroad and steamboat lines into Coney Island. In fact, McCaddon bragged that the “New York and Sea Beach RR runs direct to the entrance of the Elephant”. Finally Lafferty sold the structure to a Philadelphia syndicate. The structure’s worth as an attraction faded as newer ones grew up around it and competed for the visitors’ dollars. From newspaper accounts of the time it became somewhat of a run-down boarding house.

By 1896 it was practically a deserted structure. On Sunday evening, Sept. 27, 1896, the Elephant building caught fire and crumbled to the sand.

See also: Lucy the Elephant