I'm on the rooftop at The Royal Duck Palace.
The ducks begin their march from their palace; they have a fountain, swimming pool, grassy lawn, and miniature replica of the Peabody Hotel for sleeping!
Duckmaster Anthony Petrina is solely responsible for the feeding and care of the Peabody ducks. One duck got out of the fountain so we were fortunate enough to see Anthony on the roof with duck and kids in tow.
The ducks march from the elevator up the steps to the fountain on a red carpet with a little help from the Duckmaster. The staff does a really good job of sitting children along the carpet so they get an up-close view; it was just as much fun watching their faces as seeing the ducks! The ducks march to the fountain every day at 11:00 in the morning and return to their rooftop palace at 5:00.
Looking down from the mezzanine on the ducks swimming in the fountain!
Swimming in the ornate travertine marble fountain!
More ducks!
Grand Lobby ceiling
This ornate square grand piano was custom-built for Frances Scott Key in 1838. Frances Scott Key wrote The Star-Spangled Banner.
The rosewood case is hand-carved on all four sides.
Continental Ballroom
Mezzanine phones are now antiques but still in use!
Back in the 1930s the general manager of the Peabody Hotel and a friend returned from a duck hunting trip to Arkansas. The men had a little too much Jack Daniel's sippin' whiskey and thought it would be funny to put their live decoys in the fountain! They expected to wake up to a riot of ducks in the lobby but instead found the ducks contentedly swimming in the fountain and they've been there ever since.
In 1940 Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus trainer, offered to help get the ducks to the fountain every day and thus taught them the now famous Peabody Duck March. Mr. Pembroke continued as the Peabody Duckmaster for 50 years, until his retirement in 1981.
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