Denise and I took a little road trip on Memorial Day weekend to the Bennington, Vermont area. It was partially to celebrate a milestone birthday and also to just get the cobwebs cleared and the wandering juices flowing. The destination for this excursion was inspired by the publishing of the wonderful book by Peter Crabtree and Caitlin Randall that celebrated the long-time ownership of the Blue Benn Diner by the Monroe family (see my blog post from last year https://dinerhotline.wordpress.com/2022/08/18/a-recently-published-limited-edition-book-is-a-tribute-to-the-monroe-family-and-sonnys-blue-benn-diner/). The Monroe’s recently turned the reins of the diner over to John Getchell in the last couple of years and John has graciously extended an invitation to me to come and experience the diner. After reading the book, I have been wanting to revisit this diner and decided to take John up on his invitation.
Also while reading this book, I realized that I had photographed the diner 3 times in the 1980s but lamented the fact that I only actually had one meal in the diner on my first visit, way back in 1982. In fact, those times driving thru Bennington were just that – driving thru without spending any decent amount of time there!
So Friday May 26th we set out around 7:00 AM, making our way from Saugus over to Arlington to jump on Mass. State Route 2 heading west. It was a beautiful sunny morning, just right for starting a little excursion. In point of fact the weather was totally fantastic from start to finish those 3 days on the road! With one pit stop in Gardner, Massachusetts, we made it out to Greenfield before 9:00 AM. We then headed north on Route 5 and were in Brattleboro, Vermont by 9:30.
Crossing the town line into Brattleboro I perused (but did not photograph) two diners I had previously photographed in the early 1980s. One was known as Jad’s Family Restaurant circa 1983. This is a 1940s vintage Kullman Diner buried within another building (the right side wall is visible from the exterior while the diner is almost totally intact on the interior). In recent years it was operating as the Flamingo Diner but according to the internet, it is permanently closed.
Jad’s Family Restaurant, Brattleboro, VT
May 22, 1983 photo by Larry Cultrera
Flamingo Diner, 209 Canal Street, Brattleboro, VT
Google Street view
The second diner was previously known as Ed’s Diner, a 1920s vintage Worcester Lunch Car, located at 105 Canal Street. The diner has changed hands many times in the last forty years and in that interim has been completely redone and unrecognizable now, currently operating as Vegan AF Restaurant.
Ed’s Diner, Brattleboro, VT
November 26, 1982 photo by Larry Cultrera
Vegan A.F., Brattleboro, VT
Google Street view.
Coming into downtown Brattleboro I took a left turn to revisit and photograph T.J. Buckley’s Uptown Dining located at 132 Elliot Street, another 1920s diner that had a previous life in North Woburn, Massachusetts as Shipper’s Diner. Shipper’s was replaced in North Woburn by Jack’s Diner, Worcester Lunch Car No. 834 in 1952. Shipper’s went back to the Worcester Lunch Car factory for a complete update inside and out before relocating to Brattleboro. By the time I originally saw the diner in the early 1980s it had been reborn as an upscale eatery serving a Prix Fixe menu (for those who do not know, a prix fixe (a French term meaning “fixed price”) is a menu that offers a full meal at a set rate. Typically, that means diners get three courses consisting of an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
So, I did get a few shots of T. J. Buckley’s but was thwarted from getting all the shots I really wanted by a parked car that screwed up a couple of them…
T.J. Buckley’s Uptown Dining, Brattleboro, VT
May 26, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
T.J. Buckley’s Uptown Dining, Brattleboro, VT
May 26,2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Before we left downtown Brattleboro, we stopped for a snack at Amy’s Bakery Arts Cafe prior to heading west on State Route 9 toward our next destination, the currently closed and “For Sale” Chelsea Royal Diner in West Brattleboro. I had previously photographed this diner at another location twice in the early 1980s but never got to this location until now.
original Royal Diner neon sign at the Chelsea Royal Diner,
West Brattleboro, VT. May 26, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Chelsea Royal Diner, West Brattleboro, VT
May 26, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Chelsea Royal Diner, West Brattleboro, VT
May 26, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
The first time I saw this diner it had been used as part of the Royal Yard Restaurant located off of Route 5, north of downtown Brattleboro.
Royal Diner at Royal Yard Restaurant, Brattleboro, VT
November 26, 1982 photo by Larry Cultrera
When the diner was first delivered to Brattleboro it was originally close to downtown as seen in the next photo…
Royal Diner at original Brattleboro location
photo from my collection
I also have an image that came from photographer/illustrator Ken Brown circa 1977. He printed some postcards back in the day and this one shows the diner after it moved from downtown and before it got to the Royal Yard Restaurant location…
Royal Diner in storage prior to being located at the Royal Yard Restaurant
Ken Brown post card circa 1977, from my collection.
After taking the photos of the Chelsea Royal Diner, we continued west on Route 9 toward Bennington. Now the only other time I traveled this route was the first time I visited Bennington on November 26, 1982. When I left Brattleboro on that day it was overcast and sort of gloomy, but otherwise decent travel-wise. I guess it was around halfway to Bennington when I drove into a substantial snow storm. The road became a little treacherous and I had to really be cautious and concentrate on driving this road through the Green Mountain National Forest. In fact because of this, I did not recall much about this road from that trip.
Needless to say this current drive on Memorial Day Weekend in 2023, I did not recognize one mile of this road from the trip in 1982! This trip went faster than I anticipated and we got to Bennington before noon-time. Luckily we were able to check in early to our reserved room at the Hampton Inn and unpack for the 2 days we would be there. We then drove to the Blue Benn Diner and had a nice lunch.
Lunch stop at the Blue Benn Diner
May 26, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Interior view of the Blue Benn Diner
May 26, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Interior view of the Blue Benn Diner
May 26, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Unfortunately even though Blue Benn owner John Getchell knew that we were due to arrive, he was actually not at the diner. I texted him while we were waiting for our food and the next thing I knew, the Diner’s land line telephone was ringing. The waitress brought the portable phone over to our booth and I spoke with John who apologized for not being available. He promised to try to get together the next day. So after lunch, we decided to take in the Bennington Battle Monument. High on a hill west of downtown, this Revolutionary War Monument has stunning views in all directions. Here are a couple of photos from below….
The Bennington Battle Monument
May 26, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
The Bennington Battle Monument
May 26, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
When we finished with the Monument we Googled the address for Peter Crabtree and paid him a visit. He signed my copy of the Blue Benn book. I again thanked him for prominently using one of my 1982 photos of the Blue Benn on the front of the dust jacket of the book, I told him it was an honor to have one of my photos displayed like that!
The next morning we had breakfast at the Blue Benn around 6:15 AM, right after they opened for the day. John was hoping to meet us but never made it while we were there. I wanted to get some morning exterior shots of the diner and the sun was up when we were leaving after breakfast but there was a shadow from trees across the street directly obscuring the diner. So we drove into town and I found an open convenience store to obtain a local newspaper (I am addicted to newsprint and need my daily fix). On the way back thru town from our little errand I noticed the sun had cleared the top of the trees and the diner was in full sunlight. The following photos are the result….
Early morning photo of the Blue Benn Diner
May 27, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Early morning photo of the Blue Benn Diner
May 27, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Back to the hotel to regroup and read the newspaper. We finalized our plans to head northeast to Weston, VT to visit the Vermont Country Store. We constantly receive catalogs in the mail and have bought quite a few items from this place. I had just received a gift card from Denise’s sister Sarah for my birthday and thought it would be great to peruse this sprawling establishment. We were on the road probably before 9:00 AM and while driving, I got a text from John Getchell. So instead of answering the text, I rang him up (hands free in the car of course). He apologized for not meeting us earlier and we made plans to meet up at the diner in the early afternoon.
On the way to Weston, we stopped briefly at Bob’s Diner in Manchester, VT. This is an on-site built diner that was not there the last time I was in the area circa 1988. It was doing a brisk business so I took 4 photos before we went on our way to Weston.
Bob’s Diner, Manchester, VT
May 27, photo by Larry Cultrera
Bob’s Diner, Manchester, VT
May 27, photo by Larry Cultrera
Bob’s Diner, Manchester, VT
May 27, photo by Larry Cultrera
Bob’s Diner, Manchester, VT
May 27, photo by Larry Cultrera
After our visit to the Vermont Country Store we got back to Bennington by noon time and had a quick lunch at a Pizza Hut. We had not had a meal at a Pizza Hut in probably 20 years or so as they have pretty much disappeared from the Metro-Boston area where we live. I dropped Denise at the hotel and I went over and finally connected with John Getchell. We had a nice visit and he took me on a tour of the kitchen (where all the action happens) and basement of the diner where the supplies and other miscellaneous things are stored. I also got to meet John’s pet “puppy” Pookie, a Cane Corso.
John Getchell and Pookie
May 27, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Well that was pretty much all we planned to do on our trip, so the next morning we checked out of the hotel at 5:00 AM and headed south on Route 7 to Williamstown, Massachusetts. We stopped briefly at a Dunkin’ Donuts in North Adams for a quick, on-the road breakfast as we were too early for any normal breakfast joints to be open. We then took the Mohawk Trail (Route 2 east) thru the Berkshire Hills to get home. It was such a beautiful morning drive, I stopped in Charlemont to take photos of the Hail to the Sunrise Statue at Mohawk Park.
Hail to the Sunrise Statue at Mohawk Park, Charlemont, Mass.
May 28, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Hail to the Sunrise Statue at Mohawk Park, Charlemont, Mass.
May 28, 2023 photo by Larry Cultrera
Overall, I feel that spending some time in southwest Vermont was long overdue, the area is a nice mix of mountains and farm land, with plenty of scenic views. I also like that it is very close to the Capitol District of upstate New York and within a short drive to the Adirondacks and one of my favorite places, Lake George. After the Mohawk Trail, we made a stop for coffee just off Route 2 in Turners Falls at the Shady Glen Diner and got home around 10:00 AM. All in all, this was a tremendous weekend, weather-wise to be out on the road. It makes me hopeful for other possible road trips in the near future!
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