Stranger than Fiction: The Tale of Colorado’s Killer Elephant

If you've ever driven down Sheridan Boulevard in Denver, Colorado, there's a good chance you're familiar with Sloan's Lake. However, this particular part of the Mile High City has a much deeper story involving an elephant and the tragic death of a young boy.

Keep scrolling to learn the tragic tale of Roger the Elephant.

History of Colorado’s Roger the Elephant + Manhattan Beach

Back when Colorado was in its infancy as a state, an amusement park was built near Sloan's Lake called Manhattan Beach with its doors officially opening in 1881.

Read More: A Rare Look Inside an Abandoned Colorado Speedway + Car Graveyard

The amusement park featured things like a Ferris Wheel, and a roller coaster, and even offered rides on the back of an elephant known as Roger.

However, just ten years after opening, a tragedy would take place at Manhattan Beach involving Roger and a 6-year-old boy that would forever tarnish the park's legacy.

Tragedy Strikes Colorado’s Manhattan Beach

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One day in July of 1891, a 6-year-old boy by the name of George W. Eaton was having the time of his life with his friends at the Denver amusement park.

Read More: Remembering Now Abandoned Colorado Amusement Park

That is, until an unfortunate accident took place much to the horror of countless witnesses.

The boy was sitting atop Roger with several other children when the elephant became spooked by a nearby hot air balloon, resulting in the children falling onto the ground.

It was at this moment that the elephant's foot came roaring to the ground, landing on the boy with such force that he unfortunately lost his life.

What Happened to Colorado's Manhattan Beach + Roger the Elephant?

Following the tragic incident, Roger was euthanized and allegedly buried nearby under what is now a King Soopers grocery store.

Manhattan Beach would continue to operate for several years following the tragedy but would eventually close its doors for good in 1914.

[Denver7]