the new york city government acquired the land for pelham bay park in 1887, and the park was officially established in 1888. in spring 1902, in order to accommodate vacationers, the new york city department of parks and recreation removed two former houses in pelham bay park and used the remaining wood to build free bathhouses, which were used by about 700 bathers per day during that summer. around 1903, the nearby hunter island became a popular summer vacation destination. due to overcrowding on hunter island, nyc parks opened a campsite two years later at rodman's neck southwest of the island, with 100 bathhouses. at the time, orchard beach was a tiny recreational area on the northeast tip of rodman's neck. orchard beach was extended by that year, doubling capacity; it also gained a new "comfort station". by 1912, orchard beach saw an average of 2,000 visitors on summer weekdays and 5,000 visitors on summer weekends.