Ellie Mitchell Pavilion

The Ellie Mitchell Pavilion is the cobblestone landmark on the bluff above Rocky Neck's West Beach, built by the Works Progress Administration between 1934 and 1937 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. DEEP calls it the largest Depression-era structure in Connecticut. Its second floor is rented for weddings, receptions and conferences of up to 300 guests from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, starting at $3,750.

How It Was Built

The state parks engineering department designed the pavilion, and WPA crews built it with materials gathered almost entirely on site. DEEP's history of the building:

• Cobblestones came from stone walls inside the park.
• Tree-trunk pillars on both floors came from every state park in the system at the time, one to six from each, and each is stamped with a Roman numeral for the park it came from. DEEP counts 40 state parks then.
• Flat terrace fieldstones came from ledges in Devil's Hopyard State Park, cut when the state highway through the Hopyard was built.
• Capstones for the terrace walls, upper deck walls and chimneys were quarried from the ledge just east of the pavilion, where an abandoned quarry had left rock piled about.
• The old concrete fish mill on the lawn in front was broken up for fill between the front wall and the terrace, and its 12-inch steel I-beams hold up the first floor.

The total cost was $240,000, all WPA labor. Connecticut Humanities gives the building as 350 feet long and 80 feet wide, with dining areas and eight fireplaces, and says it was meant to draw shore-goers away from crowded Hammonasset.

Renting the Second Floor

DEEP rents the upper floor for receptions, private parties, seminars and conferences from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

Fees:

• Under 200 guests: $3,750 for 7.5 hours of exclusive use (up to 5 hours of event plus 2.5 hours of setup and breakdown). Extra hours to the curfew: $845 each.
• Over 200 guests: $4,950 for the same 7.5 hours. Extra hours: $875 each.
• A $500 security deposit is held against damage, and a $940 late fee applies if an event runs over schedule.

Times:

• Friday, Saturday and Sunday: events may begin at 5 p.m.
• Weekdays: events may begin at 10 a.m.
• Every event ends by midnight.

The park stays public: visitors may be on the grounds until sunset even during a private event.

Caterers

DEEP publishes a short list of approved caterers on its pavilion page and in its rental brochure; check the current list with DEEP before you sign a caterer.

How to Book

Email DEEP.RockyNeckPavilionRental@ct.gov or call (860) 739-5471. DEEP's rental brochure (PDF on ctparks.com) has photos and frequently asked questions.

Visiting Without an Event

The pavilion sits beside West Beach and the beach lots, so most visitors walk past it on the way to the sand. Look for the Roman numerals on the pillars. In 2026 The Nature Conservancy's History Day was held at the pavilion. Beach, history.

Smaller Groups: the Picnic Shelter

For a family party, the open-air picnic shelter (32 by 80 feet, 10 tables, room for 80) rents for $220 plus a $9 fee through ReserveAmerica. Plan your visit.