Fun Facts - Lucy is Art!

Lucy is Art! 
That's right, ...
she is the oldest example of Zoomorphic Architecture. 

James V. Lafferty’s idea of an animal-shaped building was innovative and in order to protect his original idea, Lafferty applied for and received a patent from the U.S. Government.

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He made his original application June 3, 1882, and received the patent, No. 268, 503, on Dec. 5, 1882. In his application Lafferty stated: "My invention consists of a building in the form of an animal, the body of which is floored and divided into rooms ... the legs contain the stairs which lead to the body ...". Lafferty also included a paragraph which stated the building "may be in the form of any other animal than an elephant, as that of a fish, fowl, etc." 

Mr. Lafferty hired architect William Free to design this unusual structure. The Elephant was constructed in 1881 by a Philadelphia contractor at a reported cost of $25,000. Lafferty believed it would attract visitors and property buyers to the area.