Miss Toy Town Diner
National Register of Historic Places

Miss Toy Town Diner

Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
December 4, 2003
Type
Building
Period
Modern
Ref No.
03001242

About this property

The Blue Moon Diner, originally the Miss Toy Town Diner, is a historic diner in Gardner, Massachusetts. Built in 1949, it is a well-preserved example of a late-model barrel-roofed diner manufactured by the Worcester Lunch Car Company. It has been located at its present location since 1954. The diner was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. The Blue Moon Diner is located on the east side of Gardner's Main Street, on the southern edge of the central business district. The diner is set on a concrete foundation and is oriented perpendicular to the road, with its parking area to the south. A wood frame addition to the east provides space for the kitchen and additional table space. The diner itself is seven bays long and three wide, and has a barrel roof, now covered in shingles. The main entrance is one of the diner's original entrances, at the western (street-facing) end, sheltered by a canopy; the eastern entry to the diner now provides access to the addition. The exterior of the diner is finished in porcelain enamel panels with integral polychrome graphics, and the entry doors are stainless steel. The interior features a marble counter, fourteen counter stools, and booths lining the southern wall. The booths are wooden, with tables that have laminated tops. Tile work on the interior is predominantly blue and cream, with accents in black and white. The diner was built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company in 1949, and was originally located in Winchendon, where it was known as the Miss Toy Town Diner. It was moved to Gardner in 1954. The diner, which has seen a succession of owners, was restored in 1984 and is the only diner in Gardner. The diner was used as a scene in the movie School Ties featuring Brendan Fraser. In the movie, the name of the diner was changed to Skip's Diner. National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts

Location

102 Main St.
Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.57424, -71.99412

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMERCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

West Gardner Square Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Garbose Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Gardner News Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Lake Street Fire Station
Industrial
0.2 mi
Heywood-Wakefield Company Complex
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Miss Toy Town Diner listed on the National Register?

Miss Toy Town Diner was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 2003.

What type of historic resource is Miss Toy Town Diner?

Miss Toy Town Diner is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Miss Toy Town Diner?

The period of significance for Miss Toy Town Diner is recorded as the modern era, specifically around 1949.

Can I research the history near Miss Toy Town Diner?

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