Don’t worry, you won’t have to travel far to see the iconic attraction. In fact, Lucy hasn’t even moved an inch.
“The south beach block of Decatur Avenue was recently changed to Lucy Plaza by the City of Margate,” said Jeremy Bingaman, Lucy the Elephant COO and education director.
Lucy Plaza stretches from the beach to Atlantic Avenue. A new sign at the Atlantic Avenue intersection signifies the name change.
“I don’t think a lot of people at the site have noticed it yet because it just looks like an actual street sign,” admitted Bingaman, “but I will say the people online in our virtual audiences, they were thrilled about it. Many of them were happy this was done.”
A post shared by Lucy the Elephant (@lucytheelephant) on Jul 20, 2020 at 12:48pm PDT
The change may not be something you spot unless you’re specifically looking for it, but Bingaman said the reason for the switch is very significant.
“This year marks the 50th anniversary of ‘the great move,’ from when Lucy was moved from Cedar Grove Avenue to Decatur Avenue,” he said. “We celebrated the 50th anniversary, and one of the things that was part of the celebration was renaming that beach block.”
“The great move” marked Lucy’s two-block shift to spare the structure from demolition.
This summer, Lucy turns 139, making the site the oldest roadside attraction in America. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1976.
“I’d say she’s deserving of it,” Bingaman said of the newly branded plaza. “People are much more behind Lucy than they have been in the past, and we’re very happy for that.”
The new street sign capped off a three-day birthday celebration last weekend, which included the temporary return of Lenny’s Hot Dogs, a happy birthday drive-by, and the chance to leave Lucy a birthday gift in the form of monetary donations.
Tours have resumed at Lucy the Elephant after the coronavirus pandemic put them on hold for several months. Masks are now required, and guided tours happen every 45 minutes instead of each half-hour. Fewer people are allowed on the tours to keep with social distancing, and only eight people are allowed inside the gift shop at a time.