The tragic true story of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire

On the cold night of November 28, 1942, about 1,000 Bostonians jammed into the wildly popular Cocoanut Grove nightclub to both take their minds off the war overseas and the 55–12 drubbing the Boston College Eagles had taken on the football field that afternoon at the hands of underdog Holy Cross.

Dale M. Brumfield

First opening in 1927 at Boston’s 17 Piedmont Street as a prohibition-era “speakeasy,” the then-mobster-owned Cocoanut Grove fell on hard times during the depression but was enjoying new life during the early years of World War II, becoming THE place to be seen.

The building was one story, containing a dining room, a ballroom with several bar areas, including the 48-ft long Caricature Bar and a bandstand. A basement contained a massive bar and dining area called the Melody Lounge, along with storage areas and freezers.

Boston College had planned a celebratory post-bowl game party that night but canceled it after their somewhat humiliating defeat, yet still, the Grove was packed beyond its 600-person capacity with post-Thanksgiving revelers. These included the cast…