Memorial to Little Bett the Elephant - Chepachet, RI
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 41° 54.838 W 071° 40.219
19T E 278544 N 4643672
The Memorial to Little Bett the Elephant is on the northwest side of a the Lt. William G. Schanck Jr. Memorial Bridge on Route 44 in Cepatchet, RI
Waymark Code: WMKVZB
Location: Rhode Island, United States
Date Posted: 06/01/2014
Views: 3
In 1822, Betty, a.k.a. Little Bett, was the second elephant to to be brought to North America. She was a replacement for another elephant, Big Bett, formerly owned by Hachaliah Bailey, an exotic animal promoter who brought Big Bett to America in 1796.
Little Bett was widely loved by audiences along the east coast from Carolina to Maine. She became known as Betty the Fabulous Learned Elephant. In 1826 she made her second appearance in Chepachet, RI. While walking across a wooden bridge on May 25, 1826 she was shot and killed by a group of hooligans.
For the 150th anniversary of Betty's death, Chepachet petitioned the Rhode Island General Assembly to proclaim May 25, 1976 "Elephant Day". A bronze commemorative plaque was placed on the bridge to mark the spot where Little Bett was killed. The town celebrates the event annually.
The plaque is inscribed:
MAY 25, 1826 - MAY 25, 1976
DIVERSE HANDS FIRED UPON
BETTY
ONE OF AMERICA'S FIRST ELEPHANTS
AT THE NORTH END OF THE
RUSTIC SPAN THAT ARCHED
CHEPACHET RIVER
GIVEN IN OBSERVATION OF THE
150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EVENT BY
RICHMOND AND EDNA KENT