A group of prominent local African Americans
formed the Bay Shore Hotel Company, purchased
land here, and in 1898 opened a resort for black
travelers. Ravaged by an Aug. 1933 hurricane, the
resort was rebuilt and operated until the 1970s.
Featuring a dance pavilion, café, private beach,
and an amusement park, the resort hosted state and
national conferences, sporting events, concerts,
honeymoons, family vacations, and day trips. Jazz
greats Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Duke
Ellington performed here. The American Bridge
Association held its first national tournament here,
and the Tri-State Dental Association, later the
National Dental Association, was founded here.
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