During a nationwide train strike on May 17th, 1971, the visiting Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus needed to figure out a way to get their show into New York City. While most of the equipment, crew and animals used trucks and other vehicles to get into the City, 19 elephants, a zebra, a llama and a pony walked through the Lincoln Tunnel instead.
According to a New York Times article reported the day after the incident, more than 1,000 spectators showed up just after 10:30pm to watch the animals walk through the Lincoln Tunnel. Four trainers rode on the backs of the elephants, and policeman from Weehawken, Hudson County, the Port Authority, and New York City guided the animals. The Times wrote, “The trek evoked amusement and interest rather than annoyance, even though there were extensive traffic tie-ups in Weehawken.” The toll for the caravan to cross into New York was $9.
Check out the original article from 1971 in the New York Times for more.
via 6sqft
Matt Coneybeare
Editor in Chief
Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.
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