Elephantine Colossus, Seven-story elephant-shaped hotel in Coney Island, Brooklyn, United States
The wooden Elephantine Colossus reached 122 feet in height and contained 31 rooms spread across multiple levels within its architectural elephant form.
James V. Lafferty constructed this remarkable structure in 1885, two years before the Statue of Liberty, making it the first visible building for immigrants arriving in America.
The building contained a grand hall, museum, and observation deck in the howdah, while telescopes installed in the elephant's eyes provided views of the surroundings.
Visitors entered through the back leg to access a circular stairway, while one front leg housed a cigar store serving the numerous tourists of Coney Island.
The construction required 3.5 million feet of lumber, 11,000 kegs of nails, 12 tons of iron bolts, and 57,000 square feet of tin for exterior coverage.
Location: Brooklyn
Inception: 1885
Creator: James V. Lafferty
GPS coordinates: 40.57670,-73.97830
Latest update: May 24, 2025 04:29
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