Elephant Hotel
{{for|the historical Coney Island hotel|Elephantine Colossus}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| name = Elephant Hotel
| nrhp_type = nhl
| nrhp_type2 = cp
| nocat = yes
| partof = Somers Hamlet Historic District
| partof_refnum = 04000349
| image = Elephant Hotel 2007.jpg
| caption = Elephant Hotel in 2007
| location = 335 Route 202, Somers, NY
| nearest_city = Peekskill
| locmapin = New York
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-marker = building
| mapframe-zoom = 12
| mapframe-caption = Interactive map showing the location for Elephant Hotel
| coordinates = {{coord|41|19|41|N|73|41|8|W|display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|1.67|acre}}
| built = 1820-1825
| architect = Hachaliah Bailey
| architecture =
| added = August 7, 1974{{NRISref|version=2009a}}
| refnum = 74001323 and 05000462
| designated_other1 = New York State Register of Historic Places
| designated_other1_num_position = bottom
| designated_other1_number = 11917.000002
| designated_other1_abbr = NYSRHP
| designated_other1_date = June 23, 1980
}}
The Elephant Hotel is a historic former hotel which today serves as the town hall in Somers, in Westchester County, New York, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on August 7, 1974 as Somers Town House and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2005 as Elephant Hotel. It is also a contributing property in the NRHP-listed Somers Hamlet Historic District. It is located at 335 US 202, across from the northern end of NY 100.
History
Image:Elephant Hotel HABS.jpg in the 1930s.]]
Hachaliah Bailey (known as the creator of Bailey Circus) built the Elephant Hotel in Somers, NY, after buying an African elephant, which he named "Old Bet". Bailey intended to use the elephant for farm work, but the number of people it attracted caused Bailey to tour her throughout the northeast. Old Bet was killed on tour in 1816, when she was shot by a local farmer. Bailey's tours were the first of their type in the nation, and inspired numerous others to tour with exotic animals, and during the 1830s the old style circus and Bailey's attractions merged to form the modern circus. Due to this, Somers is known as the "Cradle of the American Circus".
Bailey had purchased this land in 1805, and began construction of the hotel in 1821, as a memorial to the animals he displayed. It is said{{who|date=July 2017}} Old Bet was buried in front of the building.{{which|date=July 2017}} The monument to Old Bet that stands in front of the hotel was placed in 1827. In 1835, the hotel was incorporated by the Zoological Institute.[http://www.somershistoricalsoc.org/elephanthotel.html History of the Elephant Hotel], Somershitoricalsoc.org
The Elephant Hotel was purchased by the town of Somers in 1927. It is a town landmark and was dedicated a National Historic Landmark in 2005.{{Cite journal|title=National Historic Landmark Nomination: Elephant Hotel|url={{NHLS url|id=05000462}} |format=pdf|author= Neil Larsen|year=2005|publisher=National Park Service}}
Museum of the Early American Circus
The Somers Historical Society occupies the third floor of the building. The Society operates the Museum of the Early American Circus, which is open on Thursday afternoons and for special holidays.
Popular culture
- Monumental Mysteries featured an episode about Old Bet in 2013
- Japanese singer-songwriter Akiko Yano released an album titled Elephant Hotel in 1994; the cover features a photograph of Yano standing in front of the hotel.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- [http://www.somershistoricalsoc.org/elephanthotel.html Elephant Hotel history] - Somers Historical Society
- {{HABS |survey=NY-4-101 |id=ny0878 |title=Elephant Hotel, State Route 116 Vicinity, Somers, Westchester County, New York |photos=5 |dwgs=12 |data=7 |supp=yes}}
- [http://www.somershistoricalsoc.org/museum.html Museum of the Early American Circus] - Somers Historical Society
{{National Register of Historic Places in New York}}
Category:City and town halls in New York (state)
Category:Hotels in New York (state)
Category:National Historic Landmarks in New York (state)
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Westchester County, New York
Category:Hotel buildings completed in 1825
Category:Buildings and structures in Westchester County, New York
Category:Museums in Westchester County, New York
Category:Circus museums in the United States
Category:Historical society museums in New York (state)
Category:Historic American Buildings Survey in New York (state)
Category:New York State Register of Historic Places in Westchester County