Clarksburg in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Dowden's Ordinary: The Elephant Comes to Clarksburg
Photographed By Mike Stroud, June 18, 2011
1. Dowden's Ordinary: The Elephant Comes to Clarksburg Marker
"This elephant, a female, is ten Years old, 8 feet 6 inches high. Her tusks have been broken off, but are growing again, having lengthened about an inch in the last 3 Months. . . . She takes a whip and cracks it, eats 2 Bushels of corn in [sic] the Cob a day . . . . She draws a cork from a bottle with her finger, empties it into her trunk and then pours, or blows into her mouth."- Benjamin H. Latrobe, 1811-
Benjamin Latrobe, architect of the US Capitol made this entry in his sketchbook for October 11, 1811 during his stay at Scholl's Tavern (previously called Dowden's Ordinary). The description accompanied his drawing of the first elephant ever seen in North America. Capt. Jacob Crowninshield of Massachusetts, purchased the elephant in India for $450.00 and brought to the United States. He later sold it to Mr. Owen of New York for $10,000. The elephant toured the east coast from Boston to Charleston between 1796 and 1818. People paid 25 to 50 cents to view the elephant in city marketplaces or rural tavern yards like Scholl's. The elephant's last recorded exhibition was in York, Pennsylvania on July 25, 1818.
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Animals. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1848.
Location. 39° 14.186′ N, 77° 16.686′ W. Marker is in Clarksburg, Maryland, in Montgomery County. Marker is on North Frederick Road (Maryland Route 355) just south of Stringtown Road, on the right when traveling south. Located next to a County Playground,in the Dowden's Ordinary Historical area. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 23169 Stringtown Road, Clarksburg MD 20871, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Archaeology at Dowden's Ordinary (within shouting distance of this marker); Tavern Life at Dowden's Ordinary (within shouting distance of this marker); Dowden's Ordinary: A French & Indian War Site (within shouting distance of this marker); Dowden’s Ordinary (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Welcome to Froggy Hollow (approx. 1.9 miles away); Waters' Mill (approx. 2˝ miles away); A Real Field of Dreams (approx. 2.7 miles away); Black Hill Gold Mine (approx. 2.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Clarksburg.
Additional keywords. Dowden's Ordinary: The Elephant Comes to Clarksburg
Photographed By Dowden's Ordinary Marker
2. The Elephant Comes to Clarksburg
Photographed By Dowden's Ordinary Marker, `
3. The Elephant Comes to Clarksburg
Photographed By Mike Stroud, June 18, 2011
4. The Elephant Comes to Clarksburg Marker,
next to a County Playground,in the Dowden's Ordinary Historical area.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 22, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 26, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 763 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 26, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.
