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Lucy The Elephant

July 7, 2011 by · Comments Off on Lucy The Elephant 

Lucy The ElephantLucy The Elephant, Lucy the Elephant, a building that has remained at the Jersey shore for nearly 130 years, survived her second lightning strike in four years almost unscathed.

Richard Helfant, director of Save Lucy said with air conditioning, computers and other electrical systems damaged by the success of Sunday morning, the press of Atlantic City reported. But the structure of the building in Margate appeared unharmed.

In May 2007, lightning struck the howdah, transport on the back of Lucy. It had to be down to earth for repairs and then looked back up at a total cost of 162,000 y.

“They say lightning does not strike twice,” Helfant said. “They lied.”

Lightning installed after the strike may have saved Lucy from further damage this time, Helfant said.

James Lafferty, a specialist in “zoomorphic” architecture actually built elephant-shaped buildings in Coney Island in New York and Cape May, New Jersey, which no longer survive, built Lucy. The building was originally called the Bazaar Elephantine and renamed in 1900, despite the teeth and the shape of the body indicate that it is a male Asian elephant.

The building had to be destroyed in the 1960’s but has been relocated and renovated.

The Save Lucy Committee said in a statement that the 130th birthday party will take place July 16: “This is not the kind of shock Lucy is necessary, but the celebration will continue as planned.”

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