Chadwick Square Diner facts for kids
The Chadwick Square Diner is a very old and special restaurant building in Worcester, Massachusetts. It's also known as the Worcester Lunch Car Company Diner #660 or Ralph's Chadwick Square Diner. This diner is famous because it looks like an old streetcar and is one of the few of its kind left. It has a long history, serving delicious food for many years!
Quick facts for kids |
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Chadwick Square Diner
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 95 rear Prescott St., Worcester, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Architect | Worcester Lunch Car Co. |
| Architectural style | Rail Car Diner |
| MPS | Diners of Massachusetts MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001206 |
| Added to NRHP | November 26, 2003 |
Contents
Discovering the Chadwick Square Diner
The Chadwick Square Diner is a historic building. It is located at 95 Prescott Street in Worcester. Even though it faces Grove Street, it's connected to an old building from the 1800s. This older building is part of the Washburn and Moen Works.
A Unique Diner Design
This diner is special because it looks like an old streetcar. It might be the only one of its kind in Massachusetts. The diner is about 40 feet (12 meters) long. It is also about 14 feet (4 meters) deep. It has twelve window sections along its sides.
The roof is a special "monitor" style. This means it has raised sections with windows. These windows let in extra light. There are entrances at both ends of the diner. The northern door is now an emergency exit. The southern door is the main entrance to a nightclub next door. Inside, the diner looks almost exactly as it did when it was new. Many of its original features are still there.
A Journey Through Time
The Chadwick Square Diner was built in 1930. It was made by the Worcester Lunch Car Company. This company was famous for building many diners. Robert and Mamie Gilhooly of Worcester were the first owners. They opened the diner at 414 Grove Street. The neon letter "G" on the front of the diner stands for Gilhooly. It was a very popular spot in the Chadwick Square area.
New Owners and New Locations
Robert Gilhooly passed away in 1955. After that, his cousin Mary Ryan Clingen bought the diner. Her husband, James Clingen, also helped. They lived in Cherry Valley. The diner was then moved to a new spot. It was near the Worcester-Leicester town line. There, it was run by their daughter, Eileen Dryden, and her husband, Ralph Dryden. The address was 1546 Main Street.
Later, Ralph Moberly bought the diner. In 1979, he moved it to where it stands today. In 2003, the diner was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical building.
