Which historic hotel has a world-famous tradition that started as a prank, but turned into a beloved daily event? The Peabody Memphis (1869) Memphis, Tennessee

In the 1930s, when the general manager of The Peabody Memphis, Frank Schutt, and his friend, Chip Barwick, returned from a hunting trip, they had the idea to pull a small and harmless prank at the hotel. The men had drank a little too much Tennessee whiskey and thought that it would be funny to place some of their live duck decoys (it was legal then for hunters to use live decoys) in the beautiful Peabody lobby fountain. They selected three small English call ducks as the "guinea pigs," and placed the delightful ducks in the fountain! This prank enchanted both guests and staff alike. Schutt and Barwick never suspected that this whimsical act would become a beloved tradition, but it did, and it has helped make The Peabody Memphis a favorite destination of locals and visitors alike.



Every day for almost a century, five North American Mallards have waddled down a red carpet from their penthouse on the hotel rooftop to the lobby fountain, where they can be found from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Raised by a local farmer, each team of Peabody Ducks lives at the hotel for only three months before retiring from their duty and returning to the farm, where they live as wild ducks. When they are not frolicking in the fountain, the ducks spend their time in the Royal Duck Palace on the hotel's rooftop. This $200,000 structure is made of marble and glass, featuring its very own fountain, with a bronze duck spitting water, and a small house—a replica of the hotel—where the ducks can nest, along with a soft, grassy yard. These impeccably groomed ducks have become more than mere mascots; they symbolize continuity and the spirit of hospitality.


To ensure that this grand procession goes off without a hitch, the Peabody employs a dedicated “Duckmaster.” The Duckmaster, dignified in their tuxedo, orchestrates the Duck March with the precision of a maestro. The duckswaddle, following the Duckmaster’s lead, strutting their stuff as they make their way to the fountain each day to the delight of many guests. In 1940, bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, offered to help deliver the ducks to the fountain each day, and taught them the now-famous Peabody Duck March. He led the Duck March for 50 years until his retirement. After Pembroke, a series of Duckmasters took up the mantle and led the daily march.

This has been a Historic Hotels History Mystery.

For more fun facts, trivia, and historic highlights, check out our History Mystery pages for Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide.