The Elephant Hotel, a Somers national historic landmark that serves as the northern Westchester locale’s town hall, will undergo more restoration and weather-proofing improvements through a new $281,500 state grant.
The grant for preservation work comes as the building celebrates its 200th anniversary, Senator Pete Harckham, Assemblyman Matt Slater and Somers Town Supervisor Robert Scorrano said in a news release.
Built from 1820 to 1825, the Elephant Hotel, at 335 Route 202, was named in honor of “Old Bet,” an elephant owned by entrepreneur Hachaliah Bailey, who founded one of the country’s first circuses. His Bailey Circus eventually evolved into Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. Old Bet was said to be first elephant to tour the eastern seaboard.
The building won National Historic Landmark designation in 2005.
It exemplifies a distinctive kind of Federal-period architecture “and a rural turnpike hotel from its era,” the release said.
The building holds town offices, document storage, the Museum of Early American Circus, the Historical Society, and community events. The goal is to prevent further damage to the site, according to the release.
It’s all part of ongoing restoration/renovation. Most recently, some outdoor lighting was upgraded. In 2024, the deteriorating “Old Bet” statue, which stood in front of the building, was replaced by a bronze sculpture by local artist Luigi Badia and paid for by the Wittmann family.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Historic Elephant Hotel, Somers town hall once owned by circus pioneer, gets boost from NY
Reporting by Michael P. McKinney, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
