Major Bibliographical References (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets.) Previous documentation on file (NPS): Primary location of additional data: - preliminary determination of individual listing (36 x State Historic Preservation Office CFR 67) has been requested - Other State agency - previously listed in the National Register - Federal agency - previously determined eligible by the National _ Local government Register - University - designated a National Historic Landmark _ Other _ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey Name of repository: # _ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # NPS Form 1 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number 7 Page 1 OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 THE DINERS OF MASSACHUSETTS MPS Boulevard Diner Worcester (Worcester), MA 7. Description The Boulevard Diner, 155 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester (1936, MHC #2059) is diner #730 built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company of Worcester. It is located on a commercial corridor through a residential area northeast of Worcester's central business district. The diner is situated directly at the sidewalk, on a corner lot at the intersection of Shrewsbury Street and Plum Street. Shrewsbury Street is a wide boulevard that extends from Belmont Street (State Route 9) to Interstate 290, which passes north to south through the city's downtown area. Eight bays wide and four bays deep, the Boulevard Diner has a wood frame, a brick foundation, yellow porcelain enamel wall panels with red lettering, and an asphalt shingle roof.
There is a one-story, brick kitchen addition with a flat roof wrapping the southern (rear) corner that does not compromise the integrity of the prefabricated diner. Entries are located in the narrow ends of the diner, beneath the overhangs of the barrel roof. At the eastern end, the entry is enclosed by a ca. 1950s steel and glass projecting vestibule, reached by exterior stairs that are finished with a stone retaining wall. At the western end of the diner the entry is reached through an enclosed staircase. Both entries contain wood glazed doors. Windows contain wood single-hung sash with orange-colored leaded glass in the transoms. On the exterior, metal awnings over the front windows and western entry are later additions. The Boulevard Diner is known for its rooftop ornament, which includes an illuminated central clock and roof cresting executed in neon.
In addition to the porcelain enamel wall panels, which read BOULEVARD DINER, signage on the diner includes an attached projecting sign that rises above the level of the roof and reads DINER in neon. The property includes a detached storage building of brick located off the southern (rear) corner of the diner. On the interior, the diner has a full-length grill and food prep area and a full-length counter with a staff entrance at the eastern end. For customer seating, the diner has fourteen stools clad with white porcelain enamel at the counter and six wooden booths with tables along the front (north) wall. The barrel ceiling is wood, as are the diner's end walls. Behind the counter, cabinets and the refrigerator are faced in wood, steel, or porcelain enamel, and the grill hood is steel.
The counter is marble, and both the counter apron and the front wall (beneath the windows) are finished with buff rectangular tiles with black accents. Similar buff tiles, with laminate accents, appear at the back bar. The floor features a two-toned pattern of small green tiles. The vinyl tiles at the counter footrest, however, are replacements. In the rear wall of the prefabricated diner, behind the counter, is a doorway to the brick addition that retains a wooden door with a panel of etched glass. The panel reads BLVD Since 1936 (continued) NPS Form 1 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number 7/8 Page_2/1 THE DINERS OF MASSACHUSETTS MPS Boulevard Diner Worcester (Worcester), MA Archaeological Description No prehistoric sites are known on the property or in the general area (within one mile). In general, environmental characteristics of the property, especially its distance over 1000 feet from wetland resources, are not locationally favorable for most types of prehistoric sites. Given the above information, the small size of the parcel (less than one acre) and impacts associated with construction of the diner, its utilities and an outbuilding, a low potential exists for the recovery of prehistoric resources. There is also a low potential for locating historic archaeological resources on the property.
No historic period landuse has been identified for the property prior to construction of the diner in 1936. (end) 8. Statement of Significance Boulevard Diner, Worcester (1936, MHC #2059) is a fine example of the traditional barrel-roofed diner produced by the Worcester Lunch Car Company, the state's premier diner builder and a major force in the design and construction of Massachusetts diners prior to World War II. The Boulevard Diner illustrates the diner form most closely associated with the history of Massachusetts diners since the 1920s. One of the better preserved examples of this form in the state, the Boulevard Diner retains a high degree of integrity, particularly on the interior, where the wood, tile, and marble finishes illustrate typical diner styling before the use of steel became popular.
The diner is significant historically for its association with Fred Galanto, a diner operator of long standing in Worcester, and is the best preserved example in the city of a 1930s diner. Retaining integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, Boulevard Diner meets Criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places at the state and local levels. Boulevard Diner was associated with Worcester diner man Fred J. Galanto from 1936 to 1969. The diner name likely refers to Shrewsbury Street's importance as a visually prominent thoroughfare, which connects the eastern entrance to the city, at Belmont Street (State Route 9), with Union Station, at Washington Square in the city's downtown business district.
Before the Worcester Lunch Car Company delivered the current diner to Galanto on June 16, 1936, he reportedly operated a six-stool lunch counter and general store on Shrewsbury Street. [MHC inventory form] The 1936 Worcester city directory lists Galanto as the operator of a lunch room. At the time, he lived at 14 Rena Street, located off Belmont Street roughly 1½ miles northeast of his business. By the mid-1940s, according to city directories, Galanto resided on Frank Street, one block west of the Rena Street address. The George family has owned and operated the diner since 1969. Jim George, whose father purchased the diner from Fred Galanto, completed a two-month interior rehabilitation in 1999 and plans to undertake a three-month exterior rehabilitation in the near future. [George interview] (continued) NPS Form 1 10-900-8 (8-86) OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number 8/9 Page_2/1 THE DINERS OF MASSACHUSETTS MPS Boulevard Diner Worcester (Worcester), MA A number of Worcester company diners survive in excellent or good condition in Massachusetts, and chronicle the evolution of the company's diner designs, particularly from the 1920s through the 1950s. The company built 651 lunch cars and diners between 1907 and 1957 [Gutman, pp. 161 and 243], and updated, reconditioned, or remodeled an unknown number of their diners. The Boulevard Diner represents the traditional, wood-frame, New England barrel-roofed diner form for which the Worcester Lunch Car Company was best known.
Of the approximately eighty-five diners built by the company between the early 1930s and World War II, all were shipped to destinations in New England. More than fifty of those diners were delivered to established or prospective diner owners in Massachusetts. [Worcester Lunch Car Company records] Historically, both the building and operations of diners in New England have long associations with the city of Worcester. Following the introduction of the night lunch wagon to Worcester in 1884, the city quickly emerged as the lunch wagon capital of Massachusetts. At least five lunch wagon manufacturers, among them the Worcester Lunch Car Company, started up production there from 1889 to 1907. Perhaps due to the long- running popularity of lunch wagons, later diners, in the city, Worcester retains the largest number of prefabricated diners of any city or town in Massachusetts today.
At least thirteen diners survive in Worcester, including those that are vacant or in storage; the Worcester Lunch Car Company manufactured nine of them. The Boulevard is the best example of a 1930s diner currently in operation in the city. Other 1930s diners in Worcester include Einely Fran's (1930s, now in storage), the oldest surviving Sterling-built diner in the nation. The Worcester-built Art's Diner (1930s), West Boylston Street, has been extensively remodeled, and the former Worcester Information Center (1933, Worcester #705) had been restored but was heavily damaged by fire in 1998. (end) 9. Major Bibliographical References Interview with Jim George, The Boulevard Diner, Worcester, Mass. (August 8, 1999). Gutman, Richard J. S. American Diner Then and Now. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1993.
MHC Inventory Form for Boulevard Diner, 155 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester (recorded by Susan Ceccacci), September 1983. Diner Finder Deluxe: Massachusetts. Watertown, MA: Coffee Cup Publications, 1991. The Worcester Directory (1936 through 1945, various years). Worcester: Sampson & Murdock Co., Publishers, years as noted. Worcester Lunch Car Company Records (catalog number 1998.163). List of diners #701 through #799, compiled from file cards in the collection. Worcester Historical Museum. (end) Boulevard Diner. Name of Property Worcester,MA County, State 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property less than one, UTM References See continuation sheet.
(Place additional UTM references on a continuation sheet) 1200 270070 4682720 Easting Northing *Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting "Zone Easting - See continuation sheet Northing Northing Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet.) Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet.) 11. Form Prepared By name/title. organization. Kathleen Kelly Broomer, consultant, with Betsy Friedberg, NR Director, MHC Massachusetts Historical Commission date_October 2000 street & number_ 220 Morrissey Boulevard _ telephone _ 617-727-8470 city or town Boston _ stateMA _ zip code. 02125 Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form: Continuation Sheets Maps A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.
A sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Photographs Representative black and white photographs of the property. Additional items (Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items) Property Owner (Complete this item at the request of the SHPO or FPO.) name Linda C. Manna and John J. Charamella street & number _92 Hartness Road _ telephone_508-865-3319 city or town Sutton _state MA _ zip code. 01527 Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
stimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response including the time for reviewi structions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect NPS Form 1 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number 10 Page_1 THE DINERS OF MASSACHUSETTS MPS Boulevard Diner Worcester (Worcester), MA 10. Geographical Data Verbal Boundary Description The boundary of the nominated property is shown on the accompanying detail of the city of Worcester assessors' map. Boundary Justification The boundary includes the entire parcel that is historically associated with the diner.
(end) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY NAME: Boulevard Diner MULTIPLE NAME: Diners of Massachusetts MPS STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Worcester DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: 10/25/00 11/22/00 REFERENCE NUMBER: 00001394 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 11/06/00 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 12/09/00 REASONS FOR REVIEW: APPEAL: N DATA PROBLEM: N LANDSCAPE: N OTHER: PDIL: PERIOD: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: NATIONAL: COMMENT WAIVER: N VACCEPT RETURN ABSTRACT/ SUMMARY COMMENTS : REJECT 11/22/00 DATE Entered in the National Register RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER TELEPHONE DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N BOOTH SERVICE ouleuard ner DINER Cocar BOULEVARD PHACRY Boulevard Diner 155 shrewstury street worcester Diners of massachusetts MPS Puoto: 1999 Neg: MHC VieW S Boulevardbiner 155 shrewsbuury street Worcester Diners of massacluusetts MPS Photo: 1999 Neg: MHC VIlW E CTenI CHN The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Massachusetts Historical Commission October 23, 2000 Ms.
Carol Shull National Register of Historic Places Department of the Interior National Park Service Mail Stop 2280, Suite 400 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed please find the following nomination form: Boulevard Diner, 155 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester (Worcester), MA THE DINERS OF MASSACHUSETTS MPS The nomination has been voted eligible by the State Review Board and has been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. The owners of the property in the Certified Local Government community of Worcester were notified of pending State Review Board consideration 60 to 90 days before the meeting and were afforded the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely, Betty: Betsy Friedberg Fredieng National Register Director Massachusetts Historical Commission enclosure CC: Linda Manna / John Charamella Jim George, Boulevard Diner Kathleen Kelly Broomer, Preservation Consultant Mayor Raymond Mariano, City of Worcester Jody Kennedy Valade, Worcester CLG James Igoe, Preservation Worcester Bruce Bunke, Worcester Historical Commission Charles Goddard, OPCD, City of Worcester 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125 - (617) 727-8470 www.state.ma.us/sec/mhc
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