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Cocoanut Grove Memorial

The Cocoanut Grove Memorial is a community-initiated project.

This project is in the fabrication phase.

Project Details

Project Context 

The Cocoanut Grove was a popular nightclub built in 1927 and located at 17 Piedmont Street near the Park Square theater district in Downtown Boston. On November 28, 1942, a fire occurred at the nightclub. The fire was responsible for the death of 492 people and injured hundreds more, making it the deadliest disaster in Boston's history.

The impact of the fire led to life saving medical advances in burn treatment, overhauled building codes, and improved fire safety regulations that have saved countless lives over the last 75 years.

The Cocoanut Grove Memorial Committee was established in 2015 to help Boston recognize this historic event. The committee proposed a memorial to honor the memory of the victims, survivors, first responders, and medical professionals. 

In April 2021, Boston City Council awarded $250,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for the Cocoanut Grove Memorial. The City of Boston allocated an additional $450,000 toward the project as part of its FY23 capital budget.

The Site

The project site is located in Statler Park at 243 Stuart Street in the Bay Village neighborhood of Boston. It is one block from the former Cocoanut Grove site at 17 Piedmont Street. The site is adjacent to a six way intersection and several Boston neighborhoods. 

Statler Park photo
Photo of Statler Park.

Meet the Artist Team

Artist Team
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