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Photograph of Capitol Diner
Photograph by Ethomsen, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Capitol Diner

Built in 1928. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. A historic map-sheet match is not published yet. The record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary.

From the record

“The Capitol Diner is a historic diner at 431 Union Street in Lynn, Massachusetts. Brill Company, it is believed to be that company's last operating diner.”

Wikipedia article Capitol Diner, CC BY-SA 4.0.

one of 350 National Register listings in Essex County · listed in 1999 · category: Building · built in 1928, by J. G. Brill Company · one of 2 National Historic Landmarks in Essex County.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. 431 Union St., Lynn, 01901
  • When was it listed? 1999-09-22
  • Category. building
  • Also known as. Diners of Massachusetts MPS
  • Township. Lynn city
  • When was it built? 1928
  • Architect. J. G. Brill Company
  • National Register reference number. 99001121 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

The ground it stands on

24,315 words

The chapter on Lynn City in The Newhall Family of Lynn, Massachusetts, published 1882 names Lynn. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.

The following pages will give some account of this numerous family, descended, as will be shown, from two brothers who probably settled in the town of Lynn about A. D. 1630. Their names are to be found on the list of grantees of lots in a division of lands in 1638, as appears in the papers on file in the office of the Clerk of the Courts for Essex County, in the case of William Longley vs. the Town of Lynn, March Term, 1660-1.

Passage source: The Newhall Family of Lynn, Massachusetts, published 1882.

The Lynn Records inform us that Thomas Newhall, Sonr, was buried the first of April, 1(>S7. He probably left a Will ; for, on the 14th of April, 1687, an Inventory of Ensigne Thomas Newhall of Lynn, late deceased, appraised 8th of April, 1G87, by John Fuller, Son1'. Ralph King and John Burrill, was presented by John Newhall, "one of the Executors," and is recorded in Suffolk County : but no record of the Will appears and neither Will nor

Passage source: The Newhall Family of Lynn, Massachusetts, published 1882.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Lynn City - 24,315 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.

Fires near this property

75 since 2003

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 75 fires within 5 miles of Capitol Diner between 2003 and 2020, burning about 252 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 7 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Recreation and ceremony26
Smoking16
Debris and open burning7
Arson/incendiarism7
Missing data/not specified/undetermined6
Misuse of fire by a minor4
Equipment and vehicle use4
Fireworks3
Natural1
Railroad operations and maintenance1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
3 September 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
28 September 2020Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
27 September 2020Smokingunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
27 September 2020Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
25 September 2015Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire ControlSAUGUS
21 September 2020Arson/incendiarismunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
21 September 2020Arson/incendiarismunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
20 September 2020Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named

Every fire recorded in Essex County

Specimens collected near this property

12 of 10,530 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 10,530 specimens collected within 10 miles of Capitol Diner between 1800 and 1975: 5,064 Plantae, 2,936 Animalia, 1,006 Chromista, 817 Fungi, 408 Unrecorded, 286 Bacteria, 13 Protozoa. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A B. Proper, A. A. Eaton, A. B. Hervey and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Image SpeciesYear Collected by Where, as recorded
A photograph of the species Rhodocollybia prolixa, not of this specimenRhodocollybia prolixa var. distorta (Fr.) Antonín, Halling & Noordel.1800R. B. MackintoshPeabody
Erysiphaceae1803A. B. Seymour
A photograph of the species Hamamelis L., not of this specimenHamamelis L.1816Boott, J.Andover Turnpike [=Northern Expressway?], 6 miles from Boston.
A photograph of the species Amaranthus cannabinus, not of this specimenAmaranthus cannabinus (L.) Sauer1822not recorded
A photograph of the species Carex rosea, not of this specimenCarex rosea Willd.1833W. Boott
A photograph of the species Carex echinata, not of this specimenCarex echinata subsp. echinata1834Collector unspecifiedChelsea. [Inferred county from precise loc.]
A photograph of the species Desmarestia viridis, not of this specimenDesmarestia viridis (O.F.Müll.) J.V.Lamour.1841C. E. PeaseMarblehead
A photograph of the species Polysiphonia urceolata, not of this specimenPolysiphonia urceolata (Lightfoot ex Dillwyn) Greville1841F. S. CollinsRevere Beach, Revere, MA
A photograph of the species Carex caryophyllea, not of this specimenCarex caryophyllea Latourr.1847C. DeweySalem
A photograph of the species Carex muhlenbergii, not of this specimenCarex muhlenbergii Kunth ex Boott1847F. M. B. Boott
A photograph of the species Trichophorum planifolium, not of this specimenTrichophorum planifolium (Spreng.) Palla1847W. BoottMedford
A photograph of the species Cladophora rupestris, not of this specimenCladophora rupestris (L.) Kütz.1848H. W. W. BaileyLittle Nahant, MA

All 10,530 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this property

10 of 11 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 11 workings within 5 miles of Capitol Diner: 3 past producers, 3 producers, 2 unknowns, 2 plants. 5 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Iron, Gold. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Kay Locke Inc PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Lynn Eastern Smelt & Refin CorpGold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium, MercuryPlant
Saugus DepositIronOccurrence
Malden QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Richardson QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Saugus QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Swampscott PlantStone, Crushed/BrokenPlant
Swampscott QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Swampscott QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Trimount Bituminous Products CoStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer

Every working recorded in Essex County

Storms near this property

37 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Lynn, the town this property stands in, in 37 storm reports between 2006 and 2023: 16 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 5 flood, 5 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2010Thunderstorm WindLynn$75,000Numerous trees and wires were downed throughout Lynn, closing thirty to forty streets. An amateur radio operator recorded a wind gust of 60 mph on their home weather station on Centre Street.
August 2018Flash FloodLynn$50,000At 9:16 AM EST, cars on Monroe Street in Lynn were floating in the street. At 9:18 AM EST, water was rising in a building on Monroe Street, causing people to stand on chairs. At 9:31 AM cars were trapped in flood waters on Chatham Street under a bridge; the road was impassable. At 10:03 AM the basement door to a building on Union Street had collapsed due to the flooding, and water was pouring in. At 10:18 AM, large sections of Boston Street in Lynn were flooded and impassable, and several cars were trapped in the floodwaters. At 10:32 AM state route 107 on the Lynn/Salem border was closed due to flooding. At 10:59 AM EST, manhole covers were reported coming off the road on Seymour Avenue. A car was trapped in three feet of water on Wilfred Street; the road was impassable. At 11:42 AM EST, street flooding on Erie Street reached several feet.
June 2012LightningLynn$50,000Lightning struck a three family home on Washington Street, setting fire to the house. Damage was to the front roof in the third floor unit. Residents in the third floor unit were unable to return to their unit due to water damage. Other units were not damaged.
October 2014Flash FloodEast Lynn$30,000In Swampscott, a car was stuck in flood waters at the Santander Bank parking lot. Crowinshield Street was flooded in Peabody. A car was stuck in flood waters on Endicott Street. Leather City Common was flooded with six to twelve inches of water.
October 2014Flash FloodEast Lynn$30,000In Peabody, a car was stuck in two feet of water on America Drive. A car was stuck in flood waters on the ramp for the Northshore Mall from Route 114 to Route 128. In Lynn, four to six inches covered all three eastbound lanes of the Lynnway. Other streets in Lynn were flooded with three feet of water and the fire department responded to two calls of people stuck in their cars. In Beverly, Federal Street between MacPherson Drive and Rantoul and Lothrop Street at Route 127 were closed due to flooding. The fire department reported several streets flooded with at least 3 feet of water. They responded to about a half dozen calls of people stuck in their cars. In Salem, Highland Avenue was flooded out.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindLynn$25,000Multiple trees, limbs, and wires were downed by thunderstorm winds.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindLynn$20,000In Lynn, large branches and wires were downed by thunderstorm winds. In Marblehead, trees and wires on Green Street and Kenneth Road were downed by thunderstorm winds. One of the trees on Kenneth Road landed on a house.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindLynn$15,000A tree and wires were downed onto a fence on Warwick Street in Lynn. Also, an eight inch diameter tree branch was downed and blew into a house, the house sustained minor damage. Several other tree limbs were downed on Lynnfield Street and Savory Street.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindLynn$15,000A tree on Parkland Avenue was downed onto a car by thunderstorm winds. Also, a large tree branch was downed onto power lines on Locust Street.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindLynn$15,000Trees, wires, and branches were downed throughout Lynn and Salem.
August 2008LightningLynn$15,000A church steeple on North Common Street was struck by lightning and caught fire.
September 2019FloodEast Lynn$10,000In Swampscott, several cars were stuck in street flooding on Paradise Road (Route 1A). |Also, a car was stuck at the intersection of Stetson Avenue and Norfolk Avenue.
May 2015Thunderstorm WindLynn$10,000Trees on Vincent and Casco Roads were downed by thunderstorm winds.
July 2006FloodLynn$10,000no account filed
August 2010FloodLynn$7,000In Lynn, four cars were stuck in flood waters at Commercial and Bennett Streets. Pope Street in Salem was closed due to flooding.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindLynn$6,000In Lynn, there was a tree down on a house on Grove Street. There were multiple trees down on wires elsewhere in town including Fays Avenue.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindLynn$5,000A tree was downed onto a house on Rockingham Street by thunderstorm winds.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindLynn$5,000Trees on Lynn Shore Drive were downed by thunderstorm winds.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindLynn$3,000Wires were downed on Western Avenue.
August 2022Thunderstorm WindLynn$1,600In Lynn, a tree was down on power lines on the 100 block of Wyman Street. Also, a tree was down on power lines on Clairmont Street.
February 2016Thunderstorm WindLynn$1,000A large branch was downed onto wires on Pond Street in Lynn.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindLynn$1,000Several tree limbs were downed on Magnolia Avenue.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindLynn$500A tree was downed on Holyoke Street.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindEast Lynn$300In Lynn, power lines were down on Jackson Street.
July 2023Flash FloodLynn-In Lynn, several streets flooded including Marion St, Boston at Bridge St, and Commercial St at Lynnway.
August 2020HailLynn-In Lynn, dime sized hail was reported.
July 2020HailLynn-In Lynn, dime sized hail was reported.
July 2019FloodLynn-A portion of Route 107 near the Saugus line was flooded.
September 2018Flash FloodWest Lynn-At 11:00 AM EST, Bennett Street in Lynn was flooded and impassable with up to four feet of standing water.
September 2017HailLynn-At 535 AM EST, one-inch diameter hail was reported in Lynn.
August 2012FloodLynn-Commercial Street underpass was flooded and impassable. The Nahant Circle was flooded with one foot of water.
May 2013HailLynn-no account filed
July 2012HailLynn-no account filed
July 2012HailLynn-no account filed
July 2012HailLynn-no account filed
August 2011HailLynn-no account filed
April 2006HailLynn-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Essex County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

From the nomination file

3,229 words on record

When this property was proposed for the National Register, someone wrote the case for it: what the building is, and why it matters. That document is a federal record in the public domain. It is quoted below word for word, never summarised. The text was read off the scanned case file by machine, so the occasional stray character is the recogniser's and the 1970s typewriter's.

Statement of significance

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "X" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.) XA Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. _B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. X C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction. _D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Criteria Considerations (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.) Property is: _A owned by religious institution or used for religious purposes. _ B removed from its original location. _C a birthplace or grave. _D a cemetery. _E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. _F a commemorative property. _ G less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50 years. Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts County and State Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) Architecture Commerce Period of Significance 1928-1949 Significant Dates N/A Significant Person (Complete if Criterion B is marked above) N/A Cultural Affiliation N/A Architect/Builder J. G.

Brill Company Wason Manufacturing Company 9.

The whole case file for this property - 3,229 words, 12 pages, reproduced complete.

Quoted from the National Register nomination for reference 99001121, 12 pages, held by the National Archives in Record Group 79. See the catalogue record.

Listed places nearby

6 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Lynn Bank Blockunder 500 feet1982
Tapley Buildingunder 500 feet1983
Lynn Item Buildingunder 500 feet2023
Lynn Realty Company Building No. 2under 500 feet1983
Mowers' Blockunder 500 feet1982
Fabens Building0.1 miles1982

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 99001121 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Essex CountyAll 350 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

  • Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
  • Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
  • How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.