Silk City Diners

Silk City Diners was a division of the Paterson Wagon Company, later known as Paterson Vehicle Company, established by Everett Abbott Cooper and based in Paterson, New Jersey, which produced about 1,500 diners from 1926 until 1966.[1][2] Each was tagged with the year and order in which it was built; for example, 5607 would be the seventh diner manufactured in 1956.[3] Several have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Known Silk City diners

Known Silk City diners
ImageNameLocationSerial #YearStatusNotes
1941 Silk City (George & Sally's Blue Moon Diner)Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI[4]1941MuseumOriginally at 514 Center St, Meriden, CT; restored and moved to museum 2004
42°26′25″N 85°25′12″W / 42.44021°N 85.42008°W / 42.44021; -85.42008 (1941 Silk City (Blue Moon Diner))
Airport DinerKutztown, Pennsylvania60271960OperatingAirport Diner has two surviving serial plates.
40°30′23″N 75°47′19″W / 40.50634°N 75.78873°W / 40.50634; -75.78873 (Airport Diner)
Baby's Burgers & ShakesState College, Pennsylvania3071ClosedYear uncertain; serial number decoding suggests 1930 but other sources indicate c. 1962.
40°47′51″N 77°51′23″W / 40.79758°N 77.85630°W / 40.79758; -77.85630 (Baby's Burgers & Shakes)
Biscuits and BarbecueMineola, NYc. 1947ClosedClosed June 2024[5]
40°44′50″N 73°38′51″W / 40.74727°N 73.64747°W / 40.74727; -73.64747 (Biscuits and Barbecue)
Chief Martindale DinerClaverack, NY58071958NY23 x Taconic Parkway
42°13′00″N 73°42′27″W / 42.21665°N 73.70737°W / 42.21665; -73.70737 (Chief Martindale Diner)
Country Girl DinerChester, Vermont[6][7]OperatingSerial number disputed; diner's own sources cite both #48211/1948 and #178/1944
43°16′05″N 72°35′23″W / 43.26817°N 72.58965°W / 43.26817; -72.58965 (Country Girl Diner)
Deepwater DinerCarneys Point, New Jersey58091958OperatingExterior altered 2011; structure intact[8]
39°42′41″N 75°28′21″W / 39.71134°N 75.47263°W / 39.71134; -75.47263 (Deepwater Diner)
Deligan's DinerMassachusetts48241948PrivateFormerly the Blue Tone Diner[9]. Formerly in Peekskill, NY; not operating as a diner
42°28′27″N 73°09′36″W / 42.47417°N 73.15997°W / 42.47417; -73.15997 (Deligan's Diner)
Delta DinerDelta, Wisconsin1940OperatingOriginally from upstate New York; restored and reopened 2003
46°27′32″N 91°18′07″W / 46.45894°N 91.30188°W / 46.45894; -91.30188 (Delta Diner)
The DinerHorseheads, New York1941OperatingFormerly Vic's Diner (Elmira, NY); moved to Horseheads 1974[10]
42°09′23″N 76°49′27″W / 42.15641°N 76.82408°W / 42.15641; -76.82408 (The Diner (Horseheads))
Doyle'sSelbyville, Delaware50921950OperatingOriginally Woody's Diner; brought from Paterson, NJ in 1950. Delaware historical marker SC-247.[11]
38°27′32″N 75°14′03″W / 38.45894°N 75.23415°W / 38.45894; -75.23415 (Doyle's)
Exmore DinerExmore, Virginia45103194537°31′09″N 75°49′47″W / 37.51905°N 75.82964°W / 37.51905; -75.82964 (Exmore Diner)
Fezz's Community DinerCoudersport, Pennsylvania54131954Originally Community Diner at Third & Broadway, South Bethlehem, PA. Reported closed June 2024; may have reopened under new ownership.
41°45′16″N 77°57′19″W / 41.75456°N 77.95533°W / 41.75456; -77.95533 (Fezz's Community Diner)
Highspire DinerHighspire, PA52131952OperatingPhotos here[12]
40°12′30″N 76°47′23″W / 40.20834°N 76.78966°W / 40.20834; -76.78966 (Highspire Diner)
Kims Classic DinerSabina, Ohio46551946NRHP listed
39°29′21″N 83°38′12″W / 39.48914°N 83.63663°W / 39.48914; -83.63663 (Kims Classic Diner)
Lawrence Park DinorLawrence Park, Pennsylvania1948OperatingNRHP listed; original location
42°09′02″N 80°00′52″W / 42.15063°N 80.01436°W / 42.15063; -80.01436 (Lawrence Park Dinor)
Larry's 50's DinerWoodbine, New Jersey45021945OperatingExterior covered; Silk City car underneath[13]
39°14′30″N 74°48′55″W / 39.24178°N 74.81517°W / 39.24178; -74.81517 (Larry's 50's Diner)
Lincoln DinerGettysburg, Pennsylvania54811954OperatingBuilder's plate shown
39°49′55″N 77°13′53″W / 39.83199°N 77.23139°W / 39.83199; -77.23139 (Lincoln Diner)
Mary Lou's Diner Fair Haven, NY511121951RestorationFormerly known as the Daybreak in Marcy, NY[14]
43°18′18″N 76°43′04″W / 43.305018990659235°N 76.717639559183°W / 43.305018990659235; -76.717639559183 (Mary Lou's Diner)
Meadowbrook DinerBrodheadsville, PA59011959OpenCurrently only in use as the kitchen.

Facebook Page[15]
40°55′30″N 75°22′43″W / 40.92498°N 75.37859°W / 40.92498; -75.37859 (Meadowbrook Diner)

Miss Albany DinerAlbany, New York41951941OperatingNow Tanpopo Ramen and Sake Bar; NRHP listed. Serial painted on undercarriage beam.[16]
42°39′46″N 73°44′41″W / 42.66278°N 73.74472°W / 42.66278; -73.74472 (Miss Albany Diner)
Monkey Thai DinerClark, New Jersey55621955OperatingSilk City car; operating as Thai restaurant[17]
40°37′42″N 74°18′21″W / 40.62821°N 74.30597°W / 40.62821; -74.30597 (Monkey Thai Diner)
Norm's DinerGroton, Connecticut1953OperatingFormerly Paula's, and Tugboat Annie's[18]
41°21′13″N 72°03′35″W / 41.35354°N 72.05981°W / 41.35354; -72.05981 (Norm's Diner)
Roadside DinerWall, New Jersey49321949OperatingReopened July 2025 by Nick and Maria Kallas. Featured on Bon Jovi's Cross Road album cover.[19][20]
40°11′50″N 74°07′11″W / 40.19711°N 74.11960°W / 40.19711; -74.11960 (Roadside Diner)
Route 30 DinerRonks, Pennsylvania[21]59041959OperatingFormerly Gehman's, Duke's, and Jennie's Diner; builder's plate shown
40°01′34″N 76°10′07″W / 40.02621°N 76.16857°W / 40.02621; -76.16857 (Route 30 Diner)
Scratch Kitchen & Anthracite RoomPlains, Pennsylvania56071956OperatingHeavily modified interior; exterior largely intact. Approximately half the original counter removed for additional booths; no original stools or back counter fixtures remain. Expanded dining room added.[22][23]
41°17′27″N 75°50′36″W / 41.2907670°N 75.8434550°W / 41.2907670; -75.8434550 (Scratch Kitchen & Anthracite Room)
Salem Oak DinerSalem, New Jersey55121955OperatingListed for sale 2026. HABS documented (NJ-1157).[24]
39°34′29″N 75°28′38″W / 39.57463°N 75.47732°W / 39.57463; -75.47732 (Salem Oak Diner)
Silk City Diner, Lounge, and GardenPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania[25]59071959OperatingSerial per builder's tag; business claims 1952[26]
39°57′41″N 75°08′46″W / 39.96136°N 75.14610°W / 39.96136; -75.14610 (Silk City Diner (Philadelphia))
Tom's DinerLedgewood, New Jersey1937DemolishedOriginally the Silver Dollar Diner; renamed by Tom Seretis in 1958. Cited as the second-oldest known Silk City diner; no serial tag remaining. Setting for Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" video. Demolished April 2021.[27][28]
40°53′11″N 74°39′37″W / 40.88650°N 74.66025°W / 40.88650; -74.66025 (Tom's Diner)
Uncle Milty'sGlenmont, New York36711936DemolishedSerial documented via tag photo. Demolished 2021.[29]
42°37′12″N 73°46′59″W / 42.62005°N 73.78309°W / 42.62005; -73.78309 (Uncle Milty's)
Victoria DinerBranchville, New Jersey1950Operating250 US-206[30]
41°08′50″N 74°45′34″W / 41.14717°N 74.75938°W / 41.14717; -74.75938 (Victoria Diner)
Village DinerRed Hook, New York51131951OperatingAlso known as Halfway Diner or Historic Village Diner; NRHP listed. Retains original builder's plate.[31]
41°59′48″N 73°52′27″W / 41.99667°N 73.87417°W / 41.99667; -73.87417 (Village Diner)
West Shore DinerLemoyne, Pennsylvania1930sOperatingOne of the earliest surviving working Silk City diners; builder's plate shown
40°14′28″N 76°54′13″W / 40.24102°N 76.90348°W / 40.24102; -76.90348 (West Shore Diner)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "North Jersey News and Information | NorthJersey.com". www.northjersey.com. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  2. ↑ Gutman, Richard (2000), American Diner Then and Now, JHU Press, ISBN 9780801865367
  3. ↑ "Diner FAQs".
  4. ↑ "Home". gilmorecarmuseum.org.
  5. ↑ "Biscuits & Barbeque Of Long Island Closing: 'We Are So Grateful'". Patch. 2024.
  6. ↑ "Dinner webpage".
  7. ↑ Must-stop diners in Vermont.
  8. ↑ "Silk City Diners in New Jersey". Dinerville.
  9. ↑ Diners of New England. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3141-6.
  10. ↑ "Our Story". The Diner.
  11. ↑ "Woody's/Doyle's Diner historical marker". Delaware Public Archives.
  12. ↑ "Silk City Diners Group". facebook.com.
  13. ↑ "Silk City Diners in New Jersey". Dinerville.
  14. ↑ "Couple rescues vintage 1951 tin diner". {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  15. ↑ "Meadowbrook Diner".
  16. ↑ "Farewell, Miss Albany". Roadside Fans. 2012-02-14.
  17. ↑ "Silk City Diners in New Jersey". Dinerville.
  18. ↑ "In the News - Norm's Diner". Diner History. 6 November 2008. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  19. ↑ "Husband-wife team brings back vintage-style diner to Wall Township". News 12 New Jersey. 2025-07-03.
  20. ↑ Genovese, Peter. "Coolest-looking diner in New Jersey", The Star-Ledger, August 1, 2013. Accessed 2014-09-22.
  21. ↑ "Route 30 Diner - Dinerville".
  22. ↑ "The Scratch Kitchen". scratchkitchenpa.com.
  23. ↑ "Scratch Kitchen & Anthracite Room". Dinerville.
  24. ↑ "Salem Oak Diner for sale". New Jersey 101.5. 2026.
  25. ↑ "AboutSilk City Diner Bar & Lounge". Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  26. ↑ "Silk City Diner". Dinerville.
  27. ↑ Westhoven, William (2021-04-09). "History demolished: Time's up for 'landmark' Tom's Diner in Roxbury". Daily Record.
  28. ↑ "Silk City Diners in New Jersey". Dinerville.
  29. ↑ "Diner FAQs". Roadside Fans.
  30. ↑ "Silk City Diners in New Jersey". Dinerville.
  31. ↑ "Restaurant of the month: the "Historic" Village Diner". Secret Trips. 2025-01-05.
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