In 1927, construction of a beach pavilion, a town facility, began. The pavilion was designed by Ralph G. P. Hull (1885-1941), a local Jamestown building contractor. The 272-foot-long pavilion opened in July 1928. It was originally situated on the Sheffield Cove or north side of the road. By the following December, it was moved to the south side of the road due to sewage problems.
There were more than 100 large, roomy, well-ventilated bathhouses, and nice wide porches for the accommodation of the public. The pavilion dance hall was an attractive and airy place where weekly dances were planned.
Arthur B. Mitchell, the manager, stated that he estimated nearly 400 in bathing at Mackerel Cove on a Thursday in September 1928.
One local resident recalled that it was traditional for mothers and children to go to the beach at Mackerel Cove in the morning while the help went in the afternoon.
The pavilion was destroyed during the Hurricane of 1938, with only the cement steps remaining. After the hurricane, the roof of the pavilion was found in the field of John Jay Watson’s farm. The pavilion was in use for only eleven years.
Click on this link to see more Mackerel Cove Pavilion images from our Online Catalog
