What historical landmark has marching ducks in its lobby daily?

zbeckabee

Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN. Every day at 11AM, they are led by the ceremonial Duckmaster down the elevator to the Italian Travertine marble fountain in the Grand Lobby. Red carpet is unrolled, and the music of John Philip Sousa begins to play from overhead speakers as the elevator descends. One might expect to see the ducks emerge slowly, marching majestically through crowds of admiring spectators to the tune of "King Cotton March" and flash photography. In reality, the ducks are so used to being harassed by onlookers that they race out of the elevator and dart towards the fountain. The fanfare is repeated at 5PM when the ducks retire to their rooftop palace. http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1057434 Aug 31 06, 11:29 AM

Brainyblonde

The Legend of the Ducks The tradition of the famous Peabody Marching Ducks began in the 1930s. Peabody General Manager Frank Schutt, an avid sportsman, and a friend Chip Barwick, returned empty-handed from weekend hunting trip in Arkansas. The two friends had a bit too much Tennessee sippin' whiskey, and decided to play a prank and put their live duck decoys (which were legal at the time) in the fountain in the hotel's Grand Lobby. Three English call ducks were placed in the fountain, and the reaction from hotel guests was nothing short of enthusiastic. Soon, five North American Mallard ducks would replace the original ducks. In 1940, Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, offered to help with delivering the ducks to the fountain each day and taught them the famous Peabody Duck March. Mr. Pembroke became the Peabody Duckmaster, serving in that capacity until his retirement in 1991. Today, the ducks are housed in the "Duck Palace" on the hotel roof. Every day at 11 a.m., they are led by the Duckmaster down the elevator to the Italian travertine marble fountain in the Peabody Grand Lobby. A red carpet is unrolled and the ducks march through crowds of admiring spectators to the tune of John Philip Sousa's King Cotton March. The ceremony is reversed at 5 p.m., when the ducks retire for the evening to their palace on the roof of the hotel. http://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody_hotels/the_peabody_ducks.cfm Aug 31 06, 12:38 PM

Dasher4

Peabody Hotel. Aug 31 06, 6:53 PM