1900-WWI

In the last decade of the nineteenth century, the growing summer colony of artists, actors, writers, and musicians in 'Sconset joined with seasonal property owners to provide a proper venue for the growing community's summer activities. Prior to that point, public entertainments were held at the 'Sconset Railroad Station. In 1892, $800 was collected to erect a casino building, and Mrs. Emily R. Rice of Detroit agreed to donate a lot on New Street for a "Hall of Amusement" with dedicated indoor and outdoor community space for social, dramatic, and sporting events. Guided by William J. Chittenden, the Siasconset Casino Association was formed in 1899, and construction of the new building was completed in 1900.

Beach House, a third 'Sconset hotel, opened in 1901. Formerly a private home at the comer of Ocean and Cypress Avenues in Sunset Heights, it was enlarged with a four-story pavilion on each side of the original house, and featured a dining room that could seat a hundred people. The same year a smaller restaurant on New Street, the Chanticleer, was opened by Agnes Everett, who served three meals a day to village cottagers.

Another popular eatery was the Dine-A-Mite Tea Room, located initially across the street from the post office. Fondly called "Times Square" by the New York summer crowd, the post office, the Siasconset Book Store — purveyor of newspapers, postcards, books, and ice cream — and other small businesses were clustered together at the center of the village, at the east end of Main Street between Sunset Heights and the original fishing hamlet. Carriages, and later buses, pulled up to Post Office Square, and a gas station/barber shop was added to the mix of businesses in the 1920s. World War I marked the end of an era in 'Sconset, The Actors Colony dispersed, the railroad ceased its service to the village in 1917, and the two older hotels — Atlantic House and Ocean View House — closed.

The Beach House, 1930s
Scan gift of Sheila Todd
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Dine-A-Mite Tea Room, on Main Street in Sconset
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A digital exhibition by the Nantucket Historical Association