Rhode Island sure does have a lot of strange history! From comic to tragic, our little state has been through so much during its existence, and luckily, there are ways to honor that history all over little Rhody. You can visit parks, museums, memorials, or even see plays about everything that the smallest state has seen since becoming one of the original colonies. Here is a memorial we think even some of the most knowledgeable locals may not know about.
This odd memorial is located in the town of Chepachet, and tells the tragic story of Betty the Fabulous Learned Elephant.
Neilfein/Flickr
A man named Hakaliah Bailey (a distant relative of the founder of Barnum and Bailey Circus, James Bailey,) is responsible for bringing some of the first elephants to the United States for the purpose of display.
Boston Public Library/Flickr The first elephant brought over was named Old Bet.
Old Bet drew a lot of attention, as was expected, and many of the intensely religious folks in the areas she was touring did not take kindly to the distraction Old Bet was offering from the Church and religious events.
Jim Griffin/Flickr As a result Old Bet was shot by one of these zealots in New York, at which time she was replaced by Little Bet.
Little Bet was billed as Betty the Learned Elephant and traveled all across America.
docbadger1/Flickr Unfortunately, on her second trip to Chepachet, she would suffer the same cruel fate.
On May 25th 1826, Bet was crossing the Chepachet river when she was violently gunned down.
Doug Kerr/Flickr For years after, the town ignored this horrible crime in hopes that it would not become their legacy.
Almost 150 years later, the town discovered that Bet has been murdered by a group of masons with similar religous motivations to Old Bet’s murderer, and they decided to honor her with a plaque in the spot she was killed, as well as her own holiday.
Sean/Flickr Chepachet holds elephant day every May 25th in honor of Bet. There is also a Mr. Potato head statue of her outside of the town hall.
This is such a sad story, and gives us a lot to reflect on when it comes to the religious past of Rhode Island. Will you be visiting the memorial to Betty the Learned elephant sometime soon?
Neilfein/Flickr
Boston Public Library/Flickr
The first elephant brought over was named Old Bet.
Jim Griffin/Flickr
As a result Old Bet was shot by one of these zealots in New York, at which time she was replaced by Little Bet.
docbadger1/Flickr
Unfortunately, on her second trip to Chepachet, she would suffer the same cruel fate.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
For years after, the town ignored this horrible crime in hopes that it would not become their legacy.
Sean/Flickr
Chepachet holds elephant day every May 25th in honor of Bet. There is also a Mr. Potato head statue of her outside of the town hall.
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Address: 1169 Main St, Chepachet, RI 02814, USA
