Elephant Hotel

Infobox nrhp2
name = Elephant Hotel
nhl=yes
cp=yes

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caption = Elephant Hotel in 2007
location = 335 Route 202, Somers, NY
nearest_city = Peekskill
lat_degrees = 41
lat_minutes = 19
lat_seconds = 37
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 73
long_minutes = 41
long_seconds = 13
long_direction = W
area = 1.67 acres
built = 1820-1825
architect = Hachaliah Bailey
architecture =
designated_nhl = April 5, 2005 cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=433850890&ResourceType=Building
title=Elephant Hotel|accessdate=2007-09-11|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = April 05, 2005 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
refnum = 05000462
mpsub =
governing_body = Town of SomersThe Elephant Hotel is a National Historic Landmark located in Somers, New York, a town in Westchester County, New York, USA. It is a contributing property to the Somers Hamlet Historic District.

The Elephant Hotel was established by Hachaliah Bailey after he bought 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 take her throughout the northeast. Bailey's success caused 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, the Elephant Hotel is known as the "Cradle of the American Circus."Old Bet died on tour in 1827. Bailey later erected the Elephant Hotel in Somers in honor of Old Bet, and it was purchased by the town in 1927. It is a town landmark and was dedicated a National Historic Landmark in 2005.citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/05000462.pdf National Historic Landmark Nomination: Elephant Hotel] |598 KB|author= Neil Larsen|date=2005|publisher=National Park Service]

The Elephant Hotel is currently the Somers Town Hall. It is located at 335 US 202, across from the northern end of NY 100. The Somers Historical Society occupies the third floor of the building. The Society operates the Museum of the Early American Circus.

References

ee also

*List of National Historic Landmarks in New York

External links

* [http://www.somershistoricalsoc.org/elephanthotel.html Elephant Hotel history] at Somers Historical Society
* [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.ny0878 Elephant Hotel, State Route 116 Vicinity, Somers, Westchester County, New York: 5 photos, 11 drawings, 7 data pages, and supplemental material] , at Historic American Building Survey