Road Island Diner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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O'Mahony Dining Car No. 1107
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 Location in Utah
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| Location | 981 W. Weber Canyon Rd., Oakley, Utah |
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| Built | 1939 |
| Architect | Jerry O'Mahony Diner Company |
| Architectural style | Streamline Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000639 |
| Added to NRHP | August 21, 2009 |
| Road Island Diner | |
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| Restaurant information | |
| City | Oakley |
| County | Summit County, Utah |
| State | Utah |
| Country | United States |
The Road Island Diner is a very special restaurant. It looks like a long, sleek train car. This unique diner is located in the mountain town of Oakley, Utah. It was built a long time ago, in 1939.
Contents
The Road Island Diner: A Cool Piece of History
The Road Island Diner is a rare type of restaurant. It is designed in a style called Streamline Moderne. This style makes it look like a fast-moving train or vehicle. The diner is 60 feet long and 16 feet wide. It was made in a factory in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The company that built it was called the Jerry O'Mahony Diner Company.
A Diner's Journey: From Fair to Utah
After it was built, the diner was shown at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. This was a big event where new inventions and designs were displayed. After the fair, a man named Al McDermott bought it. He had it moved to Fall River, Massachusetts. It served customers there for 14 years.
In 1953, the diner was sold again. A Greek immigrant named Tommy Borodemos bought it. He moved it to Middletown, Rhode Island. There, it became known as Tommy's Deluxe Diner. Tommy's family ran the diner for four generations. It finally closed its doors in May 2006.
Finding a New Home in Oakley
In 2007, a businessman from Utah named Keith Walker bought the diner. He had it transported all the way to Oakley, Utah. Moving such a large diner was a big project! It took a year to fix up and restore the diner. Finally, in July 2008, it opened its doors again.
The Road Island Diner is very special. People say it is the only diner of its kind west of the Mississippi River. It was built before World War II. It also has the cool Streamline Moderne look.
The Jerry O'Mahony Diner Company
The Jerry O'Mahony Diner Company was famous for building diners. They were known for their strong steel frames. People called their diners the "Cadillac" of diners. Their motto was "In our line, We lead the world."
This company built about 2,000 diners between 1917 and 1941. But only a few of their pre-war, Streamline Moderne diners are still open today.
- Mickey's Diner in Saint Paul, Minnesota is one of them. It was the first diner to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- The Collin's Diner in North Canaan, Connecticut, is another.
- The Summit Diner in Summit, New Jersey, also remains.
The Road Island Diner (which was O'Mahony Dining Car #1107) is now also a historic place. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 2009. This means it is recognized as an important historical building.
