There seems to be some confusion, either by diner owners or other interested people about which diners are actually listed in the National Register of Historic Places. I will site three examples of claims in this matter.
1. The last 2 operators of Worcester Lunch Car #690, currently operating as the Lunch Box Diner 0f Malden, Mass. have told me that the owner of the property (as well as the diner) imparted to them that their diner is in the Register. I did some investigating and figured out that it was in fact included in the research for the Multiple Listing Submission survey (along with a select group of the diners in Massachusetts) but up to now it still has not been listed in the Register.
2. I have read for years that Collins’ Diner in Caanan, CT claims to be in the Register. In fact, they are only part of an Historic District that is listed in the Register (not individually listed).
3. I recently saw that Brian O’Rourke of O’Rourke’s Diner has been quoted that his diner is also on the Register. I personally had never heard this and decided to go to the National Register’s website and conduct a search.
This search brought up 37 listings either as individual listings or as part of multiple listings. So I want to clarify at least for now, up to today what diners are listed in the Register. I have not listed them in order of the date of listing but here goes…..
Connecticut
Skee’s Diner
589 Main St. Torrington
Listed Sept. 6, 2002
Virginia
29 Diner
10536 Lee Hwy. Fairfax
Listed- Oct. 29, 1992
Bill’s Diner
1 Depot St. Chatham
Listed Dec. 16, 1996 (Diners of Virginia MPS)
Burnett’s Diner
19 S. Main St. Chatham
Listed Dec. 16, 1996 (Diners of Virginia MPS)
Minnesota
Mickey’s Diner
36 W. 9th St. St. Paul
Listed Feb. 24, 1983
Massachusetts
Agawam Diner
166 Newburyport Turnpike Rowley
Listed Sept. 22, 1999 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Jack’s Diner (Lanni Tai Diner)
901 Main St. Woburn
Listed Nov. 22, 2000 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Al Mac’s Diner
135 President Ave. Fall River
Listed Dec. 20, 1999 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
The Rosebud (Rosebud Diner)
381 Summer St. Somerville
Listed Sept. 22, 1999 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Corner Lunch
133 Lamartine St., Worcester
Listed, Nov. 15, 2000 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Miss Worcester Diner
302 Southbridge St. Worcester
Listed Nov. 21, 2003 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Boulevard Diner
155 Shrewsbury St. Worcester
Listed Nov. 22, 2000 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Chadwick Square Diner
95 rear Prescott St. Worcester
Listed Nov. 26, 2003 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Ann’s Diner(Pat’s Diner)
11 Bridge Rd. (US 1) Salisbury
Listed Dec. 10, 2003 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Miss Toy Town Diner (Blue Moon Diner)
102 Main St. Gardner
Listed Dec. 4, 2003 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Capitol Diner
431 Union St. Lynn
Listed Sept. 22, 1999 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Shawmut Diner
943 Shawmut Ave. New Bedford
Listed Nov. 28, 2003 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Salem Diner
70 1/2 Loring Ave. Salem
Listed Sept. 22, 1999 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
New Bay Diner (Rte. 66 Diner)
950 Bay St. Springfield
Listed Dec. 4, 2003 (Diners of Mass.MPS)
Al’s Diner
14 Yelle St. Chicopee
Listed Dec. 14, 2000 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Miss Florence Diner
99 Main St. Northampton
Listed Sept. 22, 1999 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Casey’s Diner
36 South Ave. Natick
Listed Sept. 22,1999 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Whit’s Diner (Lloyd’s Diner)
184A Fountain St. Framingham
Listed Dec. 4, 2003 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Wilson’s Diner
507 Main St. Waltham
Listed Sept. 22, 1999 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Town Diner
627 Mount Auburn St. Watertown
Listed Sept. 22, 1999 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Ted’s Diner (Now demolished)
67 Main St. Milford
Listed Nov. 29, 2000 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
Monarch Diner (Four Sisters Owl Diner)
246 Appleton St. Lowell
Listed Nov. 28, 2003 (Diners of Mass. MPS)
New York
Halfway Diner (Village Diner)
39 N. Broadway Red Hook
Listed Jan. 7, 1988
Munson Diner
Lake St. (NY 55) Liberty
Listed April 12, 2006
Lil’s Diner (Miss Albany Diner)
893 Broadway Albany
Listed Nov. 6, 2000
North Carolina
Sam’s Diner
2008 S. Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills
Listed Jan. 27, 1999
Ohio
Silk City Diner #4655 (Kim’s Classic Diner)
303 Washington St. Sabina
Listed Aug. 10, 2005
Vermont
Miss Bellows Falls Diner
90 Rockingham St. Bellows Falls
Listed Feb. 15, 1983
Rhode Island
Modern Diner
364 East Ave. Pawtucket
Listed Oct. 19, 1978
Poirier’s Diner
1467 Westminster St. Providence
Listed July 17, 2003
Colorado
Davies’ Chuck Wagon Diner
9495 W. Colfax Ave. Lakewood
Listed July 2, 1997
Take note that one of the diners, (Ted’s Diner) is actually still in the Multiple Listing Submission for Massachusetts even though it was demolished shortly after being placed on the Register. Also, there was one other diner that made it to the Register years ago, the Clarksville Diner formerly of Decorah, Iowa (by way of Clarksville, NJ). This diner was removed from the Register after it was sold and subsequently moved to France.
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