Historical Society Program

Will Visit The Roadside Diner

In those days before fast food began to dominate the landscape, there was perhaps no more iconic symbol of American foodways than the roadside diner.

Newtown Historical Society will stop for a bite of the icon on Monday, April 13, at 7:30 pm, when Christopher Dobbs offers a program called “Architecture and History of The American Diner from Wagon Wheel to the 20th Century.” The program will be in the community room of Booth Library, 25 Main Street.

The roots of the American diner really go back to the early days when the tavern provided a welcome stop to weary travelers seeking respite from their hunger, a hunger both for food and human companionship. Once the rubber hit the road with the development of the automobile, the modern diner took its place as the place where a traveler could satisfy physical needs, talk to people, and take a break from the grind of a seemingly unending road.

For families it usually meant decent food at a reasonable price, in a setting where one did not have to worry overly about the kids forgetting their manners now and then.

The real start for the diner came in 1872, when Walter Scott invented the mobile lunch wagon. Others quickly copied the horse-drawn eatery, but by the end of the century the peripatetic wagon began to find a permanent location.

At the same time, the railroad dining car was a new and luxurious development, and many stationary diners patterned themselves after the railroad, giving rise to an architectural tradition that was easy to recognize. The Art Deco movement jazzed up the appearance, and the Moderne emphasis on shining metal and glass created the classic diner look.

Perhaps the heyday came in the booming 1950s, with suburban sprawl and two cars in every garage; somebody had to fuel the driver as well as the car.

Christopher Dobbs is executive director of The Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society, which serves approximately 18,000 visitors per year. He was formerly the manager of the museum education division at Mystic Seaport.

He has published widely on Connecticut history and museum operations, and has spoken on historical subjects to many groups, including the Newtown Historical Society. Mr Dobbs currently serves as a board member of the Connecticut League of Historical Societies. He has had a longstanding interest in diners, and makes a point of trying a new one whenever he gets the opportunity.

Newtown Historical Society programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the presentation.

For further information, call 426-5937.