Before Jumbo: How Two Indian Elephants Captivated Early America’s Imagination

Long before zoos, wildlife documentaries, or televised nature shows existed, the American public encountered elephants not behind fences—but parading through town squares, turning heads and drawing crowds.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, two elephants from India made their way to the United States, marking the beginning of America’s fascination with exotic wildlife. Their arrival not only sparked awe and wonder but also set the stage for a new era of entertainment—where living, breathing creatures became the stars of traveling shows and circuses.

The First Elephant Arrives in 1796 — A Spectacle Named After a Sea Captain

On April 13, 1796, the first elephant to ever set foot in the United States landed on American shores. She was a young female from India, brought over by ship captain Jacob Crowninshield. The elephant would come to be known simply as the Crowninshield Elephant, named after her patron.

The journey began in Calcutta in December 1795 aboard an American vessel. After stops at St. Helena and Ascension Island, the ship reached Long Island, and with it came a creature few Americans had ever imagined, let alone seen in person.

According to the ship’s logs, written by Nathaniel Hathorne (father of author Nathaniel Hawthorne), the elephant was in good health and well cared for throughout the voyage—fed greens and treated with care. Newspapers of the day called her “a great curiosity,” as crowds lined up to witness the massive beast.

An Instant Celebrity, Touring America’s East Coast

Upon arrival, the elephant quickly became a public sensation. Notices in papers such as the Argus and Green Leaf Advertiser announced her appearance in New York as early as April 23, 1796. From there, she traveled to Boston, Philadelphia, and beyond.

Even President George Washington was recorded as having seen the elephant on November 16, 1796, according to his personal household account book.

The elephant’s owner had paid $450 for her in India—an enormous sum at the time—but predicted she could fetch over $5,000 in revenue through public exhibition. And he wasn’t wrong. Americans paid eagerly to catch a glimpse, lining up at taverns, town halls, and leased barns, where she was put on display as the living embodiment of faraway lands.

Enter Old Bet: The Elephant Who Became a Legend

Eight years later, in 1804, another Indian elephant arrived in America. This one would go on to become a household name: Old Bet.

She was purchased by Hachaliah Bailey, a farmer and showman from Somers, New York, who instantly recognized the business potential in showcasing such a rare animal. Unlike the Crowninshield Elephant, Old Bet would become deeply tied to the rise of traveling menageries and circuses.

By 1812, Old Bet was performing with Ppin & Breschard’s Circus, blending the thrill of performance with the educational draw of exotic animals. In a time when international travel was out of reach for most, and photography didn’t exist, these animals served as the public’s only connection to the far corners of the earth.

A Tragic End and a Monumental Legacy

Old Bet’s life came to a heartbreaking end in 1816, when she was shot and killed in Alfred, Maine, by a local farmer named Daniel Davis. His motivations remain murky, though some accounts suggest he believed the poor were wasting money on frivolous entertainment.

Public reaction was swift and indignant. Old Bet had become more than just an animal—she was a beloved figure, a symbol of wonder, and a key player in America’s evolving entertainment culture.

Bailey, determined to preserve her legacy, exhibited her remains and later built the Elephant Hotel in Somers in her honor. The hotel still stands today, now a National Historic Landmark, with a statue of Old Bet guarding the front lawn. In 2024, that wooden statue was replaced with a bronze version, ensuring her memory lives on.

The Start of America’s Elephant Obsession

While Jumbo may be the name most associated with circus elephants in America, it was these two Indian elephants—Crowninshield’s unnamed traveler and Old Bet—who paved the way. They introduced Americans to the concept of live exotic animal exhibitions, and their presence changed the landscape of public entertainment. More importantly, they bridged the gap between distant worlds—connecting small-town America to the majesty of the East, and kickstarting a national fascination that continues to this day.