Mackay’s large stone barbecue dates to 1938. In 1938, the residents finally gained control of the Mackay dam project and irrigation system, which resulted in an unprecedented celebration with a Mackay Free Barbecue. The barbeque oven was constructed in 1938 using Works Progress Administration funds. It measures 12 feet wide by 12 feet deep and is nearly 11 feet. It provides the ideal conditions for slow roasting and serving. The inaugural loading for the new oven in 1938 included 3 complete steers and seven lambs and feed an estimated crowd of 3000-3500.
