Drawing of Elephant Hotel
Dublin Core
Title
Drawing of Elephant Hotel
Description
..to be edited further..
The Elephant Hotel in Coney Island was one of three elephants designed and built by James Lafferty. It opened in 1885 and was located st Surf Avenue and West 12th street. The seven story tall structure included 34 guest rooms and a shopping bazaar. Windows in the head provided panoramic views of the beach and the sea.
Although visitors flocked to see this remarkable sight, it did not prove to be a financial success. The Hotel was regarded as a seedy place inwhich people partook in sexual liaisons. This opinion was so widely spread that the phrase “seeing the elephant” became synonymous with indulging in illicit sexual pleasure. Eventually the hotel closed, and it unfortunately caught fire and burned down in 1896.
-Madeleine Hodges
The Elephant Hotel in Coney Island was one of three elephants designed and built by James Lafferty. It opened in 1885 and was located st Surf Avenue and West 12th street. The seven story tall structure included 34 guest rooms and a shopping bazaar. Windows in the head provided panoramic views of the beach and the sea.
Although visitors flocked to see this remarkable sight, it did not prove to be a financial success. The Hotel was regarded as a seedy place inwhich people partook in sexual liaisons. This opinion was so widely spread that the phrase “seeing the elephant” became synonymous with indulging in illicit sexual pleasure. Eventually the hotel closed, and it unfortunately caught fire and burned down in 1896.
-Madeleine Hodges
Source
http://coneyislandreader.com/
Date
1885
Files
Citation
“Drawing of Elephant Hotel,” Materiality and Spectacle 2015, accessed November 27, 2025, https://ds-omeka.haverford.edu/materiality-and-spectacle-2015/items/show/68.