THE ELEPHANT FROM CALCUTTA THAT GEORGE WASHINGTON PAID TO SEE

The Elephant’s Journey

In 1795, Captain Jacob Crowninshield bought a young elephant in Calcutta and brought her aboard the ship America, bound for the United States. During a stop at Saint Helena, the crew recorded providing her with fresh greenery.

After crossing the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic, she arrived in New York on April 13, 1796. She became a sensation and was described as the first elephant seen in America.

Crowninshield hoped to profit by showing the elephant to curious crowds. Reports say she was eventually sold for $10,000. Her fame reached George Washington: his household accounts record a $3.50 payment on November 16, 1796, for his family to see her.

The elephant’s journey became an unusual example of early global connections and cultural exchange.

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