Lucy the Elephant from 1881
Iconic Oceanside Landmark in New Jersey, USA
In this case study we highlight a project with our North America Licensee Acrymax Technologies, Inc. using Kynar Aquatec® latex to improve and reinstate a very special Elephant statue called 'Lucy'. The historic value and expertise of the restoration team are admirable.
History & Facts about Lucy
In the late 1800’s land speculator James V. Lafferty, who grew up to be an engineer and inventor, came into possession of a number of sandy lots in New Jersey in the South Atlantic City area (now Margate). He came up with the idea to construct a massive elephant to attract visitors and property buyers to his holdings. Lafferty enlisted the aid of a Philadelphia architect named William Free to design this unusual structure and Lucy was constructed in 1881 at a reported cost of $25,000.
Lucy is located a few hundred feet from the Atlantic Ocean
Happy belated birthday Lucy, after your multi-million dollar facelift you are one fabulous looking pachyderm. Especially after 142 years of living by the ocean!
The recently completed restoration project included an all new metal skin of monel. This was followed by a bonding primer coat of Acrymax PC-125 that exhibited tenacious adhesion to the metal. To this a coat of AF-130XT High Strength Elastomeric Coating was applied followed by finish coats of AF-4400 Fluoropolymer Coating based on Kynar Aquatec® resin. A multi-layer coating system engineered to withstand the harsh environment of the Jersey shore. As part of the customized coating system for the restoration of Lucy Acrymax matched 5 custom colors selected by the historic architect for the project.
The restoration project was supported in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior as well as a capital grant from the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the New Jersey Historic Trust.
The Save Lucy Committee, Inc. (SLC) has been dedicated to preserving Lucy the Elephant, an iconic architectural landmark in Margate, since its formation in 1970.
The committee was formed by a group of concerned citizens who recognized the value of this unique structure and its historical significance to the town. Today, Lucy stands as a beloved landmark and tourist attraction, thanks in part to the efforts of the SLC. The committee's ongoing work ensures that Lucy will continue to be a cherished part of Margate's history for generations to come.
About Acrymax
Acrymax specializes in high performance coatings. Founded in 1951 they have designed and supplied customized coating systems for a wide variety of applications from historic structures such as Lucy to protective coatings used by NASA on the Artemis Space Launch Systems.