Somers High School and its football team in Somers, New York carries the unique nickname, the Tuskers. The team’s mascot is an elephant that pays homage to the town’s ties to the magnificent animal and the town’s part in the American circus.
On a recent trip to the local grocery store with our granddaughter, Virginia, she told us about a beautiful historic building called the Elephant Hotel that used to have an elephant statue next to it. That got us searching for the connection between the school’s nickname and mascot, which seems out-of-place in this small community about 50 miles north of New York City.
According to the Somers Historical Society, in 1821, Hachaliah Bailey built the structure that eventually would be known as the Elephant Hotel. Bailey purchased an elephant named “Old Bet” around 1805 to do work on his farm. It is believed that “Old Bet” was the second elephant, ever brought to this country.
The rarity of an elephant in America brought fame and money to Bailey, who started touring the northeast with his pachyderm. He would charge people 25-cents to look at the rare animal that was part of the Bailey Circus.
Bailey is called a “significant figure” in the formation of the early traveling menageries (a collection of wild animals) in the United States. He’s also reportedly a distant relative to James Bailey of Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth that later became Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus.
In 1827, a “gilt wood replica of an elephant” was put outside the Elephant Hotel (below) on a granite shaft with ironwork to honor “Old Bet” and two other elephants he acquired.
While that statue was recently taken down due to decay, the town is going to erected another monument this fall, made of bronze, to honor the Somers elephants.
On the football field, the Tuskers flattened their competition in 2022, on the way to a Class A New York public schools state championship with a perfect 12-0 record.
The Tuskers finished last season ranked No. 6 in the High School Football America New York Top 10, powered by NFL Play Football.
Below, you can see photos from Somers High School’s football stadium.
