What Is It Named After? The Elephant Hotel

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Why in the world is the Somers Town Hall called the Elephant Hotel?

The simple answer is because the town hall used to be a hotel named in honor of one of the most famous elephants in history — but the story behind the building is even more fascinating than the unusual name for a town hall.

The building was built by Hachaliah Bailey, who became famous for acquiring the second elephant ever brought to the U.S. in 1805, according to the Town of Somers. Bailey toured with the elephant that became known as Old Bet and later acquired other wild animals. He eventually created a traveling menagerie of rare animals.

His efforts started something of a circus gold rush in the Hudson Valley.

Other members of the local community and eventually neighboring towns joined Bailey in his menagerie enterprise, some as partners, but more often as competitors. The Elephant Hotel became something of a gathering place for titans of this new burgeoning Hudson Valley industry.

Hachaliah Bailey completed the three-story brick hotel, described as "a rare example of Federal style domestic architecture" in 1825. In 1827, the famous gilt wood replica of an elephant was mounted on iron scrollwork atop a granite shaft, in front of the hotel.

Soon, menageries associated with the Elephant Hotel merged with traveling circus performers to create the American circus we know today. In 1835, the "Zoological Institute," a monopoly of menagerie and circus owners, was incorporated at the Elephant Hotel, which became the center of the circus world for a time.

In 2005, the Elephant Hotel was designated a National Historic Landmark. The unique municipal building was recognized "as the oldest existing building of historic significance in the development of the American Circus."

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