Port Dover in Norfolk County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
The Summer Garden
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 25, 2022
1. The Summer Garden Marker
During the Roaring Twenties, dance halls grew in popularity. Port Dover's first pavilion was built by businessman Ben Ivey. The building extended over the lake and opened on Saturday, June 18, 1921, to the music of Charlie Cody and his Singing Syncopated Quartette from New York.
The local newspaper was soon calling it the town's "premier attraction". The structure was destroyed in an April 1929 gale. Locals helped Ivey build a new Summer Garden. It provided a welcome escape from the Depression until disaster struck again with a fire in January 1933. The third Summer Garden, built in a unique octagonal shape, opened in May 1933 and provided entertainment for over four decades with stars such as Rudy Vallee, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Ronnie Hawkins. In January 1979, fire destroyed the last Summer Garden, bringing an end to an era that many remember with nostalgia.
[other photo captions]
• Robbie Robertson (The Hawks) 1964 — in the third Summer Garden, located on the beach.
• Local group “The Federation” at the Summer Garden — Circa 1970.
• The 1929 storm that destroyed the first Summer Garden.
• Swing & rock still shared the stage at the Summer Garden in the late 1970s. Photo: Duncan Bristow.
Project Partners:
this page online
Port Dover Board of Trade and Port Dover/Woodhouse & District Community Foundation
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Disasters • Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical date for this entry is June 18, 1921.
Location. 42° 46.994′ N, 80° 12.146′ W. Marker is in Port Dover, Ontario, in Norfolk County. Marker is on Walker Street just south of St. George Street when traveling south. The marker is located at the south end of Walker Street, overlooking Port Dover Beach and Lake Erie. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Walker Street, Port Dover ON N0A 1N0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Railways (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Port Dover Lighthouse (about 120 meters away); Commercial Fishermen Monument (about 150 meters away); The Norfolk Tavern (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); The Capture of Detroit / La Prise de Détroit (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); War of 1812 (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Kahlenberg Engine (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); My Kahlenberg Dream - Harry B. Barrett (approx. 0.4 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Port Dover.
Also see . . . ‘Lets Dance’ — Port Dover Summer Garden Dance Hall
2. Marker detail: The first Summer Garden was built on a long pier over the waters of Lake Erie.
In 1936 Ben Ivey passed the management torch to his son Don, who would go onto become somewhat of celebrity to those who visited the Garden. He was known for managing the ballroom with Ivey League class — wearing a white suit and ever-present red rose and everyone called him ‘Pop’. A favorite of Servicemen during WW2 stationed at nearby flying schools, dancers travelled far and wide for a day at the beach and night of dancing. Bands in the 1940s included Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa. On January 8th, 1979 the fun ended as the Summer Gardens was torched by an arsonist and once again burnt to the ground. It was sadly never rebuilt and now is a summer garden picnic area where families enjoy ice cream and picnics.(Submitted on November 17, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. Marker detail: The second Summer Garden was located on the beach.
4. Marker detail: An “off-season” view of the third Summer Garden in the 1960s.
5. Marker detail: The Nick Stout Orchestra in the third Summer Garden in 1936.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 25, 2022
6. The Summer Garden Marker
Looking southwest. Port Dover Beach and Lake Erie in background.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 17, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 17, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 147 times since then and 100 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 17, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
