Today in History is a daily newsletter from Britannica. (more) Today in History—April 13: America Welcomes Its First Pachyderm Written by Michele Metych Michele Metych is the lead editor for Today in History at Encyclopædia Britannica. Michele MetychAll Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 9, 2026 •History On this day in 1796, New York City welcomed America’s first elephant—an Asian elephant from Bengal. Jacob Crowninshield of Salem, Massachusetts, paid $450 (about $11,000 today) for the elephant; he planned to leverage the animal’s fame and resell her for $5,000 (about $125,000 today) later. Today in History is a daily newsletter from Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Want to learn more about what happened on April 13, or any other day of the year? Sign...

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