funchase

Will The Real Elephant Please Step Forward...
June 2006
 
In 2005 I reported the discovery of a lost Wildwood Boardwalk attraction; I am referring to the Elephant of Fun Pier's Jungleland dark ride. As the story went it somehow ended up on the rooftop of Rocky's Liquor Store in Wildwood... however this is not the case. I have recently been informed by local amusement and railroad enthusiast Bill Campbell, that my original story is likely incorrect. No doubt, Rocky's elephant is certainly of the same breed... but not the real McCoy. While biking down some back roads Bill spotted the lost attraction on a piece of property located in Cape May Court House, New Jersey. After inquiring with the property owner he came to find that it supposedly had been purchased at an auction in Wildwood some 12 to 15 years ago. Surely there are more than a few of these elephants in existence, but along with this discovery comes obvious visual signs and a background that leads me to believe that Bill has found the original. Bill has since purchased the elephant from its previous owner and I thank him for contacting me on his recent find, thus setting the record straight on the elephant issue.
 
Pictured to the left is the elephant as it appeared in front of the Jungleland Ride in the early 1980's. Pictured below is Bill Campbell with his new found friend. Bill also owns another piece of Wildwood Boardwalk history - Click here to check it out!
 
 
Is this the real Fun Pier elephant? I believe that it is, but I'll let you be the judge.
Pictured below is the pink elephant from Rocky's rooftop in 2005. He is believed to have come from a miniature golf course in Pennsylvania.
 
 
The Jungleland dark ride ( not to be confused with the one on Hunt's Pier) was an enclosed kiddie boat ride through the dark that was created by two very talented artists... brothers Jack and Wayne Seddon. In speaking with Jack he explained that the elephant was not a stunt that they had made, but one that they purchased from a company called American Youngblood. As told by Jack (prior to the purchase for Fun Pier), the elephant was once utilized for park maintenance as a vacuum which was wheeled around the amusement grounds to suck up trash with its trunk. Jack said it also had audio that would play as it was guided through the fairgrounds.
 
Special thanks to Bill Campbell for sharing this new information with Funchase and also to Jack and Wayne Seddon for providing information and material.

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Copyright 2001 Ralph Grassi