Samson the Elephant

An Elephant Rampage in Hailey, Idaho!

In August of 1884, an uncommon excitement came to the new township of Hailey. The dazzling circus of W.W. Cole came into the Wood River Valley, attracting up to 6,000 people from the surrounding area.

Wood River Times publisher T.E. Picotte wrote a description of the scene that took place: 

“The circus arrived at 4:30 this morning....The menagerie, etc. were all landed without accident. But soon after landing Samson, the five-ton elephant took umbrage at an empty flat car and, passing his trunk underneath, lifted the platform off the trucks and landed it twenty feet away, smashed it into kindling wood.”

Samson’s temper had just begun. Later that day, as the circus made a promenade through the town, the massive pachyderm became agitated at some dogs biting at his legs. Knocking over his keeper with a swing of his trunk, Samson began an angry rampage, overturning  lion’s cages, crushing wagons, and nearly trampling anyone in his path, as the circus workers tried in vain to subdue the giant beast.  

Two men bolted downtown on horseback yelling, “Elephant on the loose, get  your guns!”

As Picotte writes, “Instantly 15 or 20 guns of all description, from the small bird shotgun to the heaviest two ounce Winchester, were produced, and started for the scene of the rampage. An elephant hunt was just what the sports of Hailey had longed for for a long time.” 

Although bullets did little to slow Samson down, he was eventually subdued with hot pokers and ropes. The damage that was left was massive, leaving 2 horses killed, numerous wagons and carts demolished, and the citizens of Hailey with vivid memories of the day an elephant ran amuck in their quiet mountain town.

The remains of Samson the elephant were donated by W.W. Cole to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, to live on in legacy as an impressive elephant specimen.

Located in the firearms display case of the museum you can see the rifle of Hank Lufkin, who helped chase down Samson the elephant in 1884. The barrel of his rifle was bent in the struggle, but later straightened. The rifle was donated by his son Ed Lufkin to Blaine County Historical Museum.

To learn more about Samson’s fate, visit us at the museum.