Road Island Diner: Difference between revisions

The '''Road Island Diner''' is a classic [[Art Deco]] [[diner]] car [[restaurant]] in the remote mountain city of [[Oakley, Utah]] in the [[United States]]. It was prefabricated as diner #1107 in 1939 at the [[Elizabeth, New Jersey]] factory of the [[Jerry O'Mahony Co]]. After construction, it was displayed on exhibition at the [[1939 World's Fair]] in New York.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Francis |title=Retro diner a big hit in Oakley |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_/ai_n27961451 |publisher=''[[Deseret News]] |date=July 29, 2008 |accessdate=2008-12-20}}</ref> After the Fair, It was sold to Al McDermott who towed it to [[Fall River, Massachusetts]] where it operated for 14 years. In 1953, it was sold to Greek immigrant Tommy Borodemos, who had it transported down the turnpike to [[Middletown, Rhode Island]], where it was known as Tommy's Diner.<ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Salit |title=After 53 years here, diner heads to Utah |url=http://www.projo.com/news/content/EB_MIDDDINER10_07-10-07_356AL3S.34c5ce6.html |publisher=''[[The Providence Journal]]'' |date=July 10, 2007 |accessdate=2008-12-20}}</ref> It closed its doors in May 2006 and was purchased in 2007 by Utah businessman, Keith Walker, who transported it to [[Oakley, Utah]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Mary |last=Brown Malouf |title=Neon in the mountains: Road Island Diner |url=http://www.saltlakemagazine.com/Salt-Lake-Magazine/October-2008/Neon-in-the-mountains-/ |publisher=''Salt Lake Magazine'' |date=October 2008 |accessdate=2008-12-20}}</ref> After a year of restoration, it was opened in July 2008. It is the only pre-war, [[Art-deco]] streamline (constructed to mimic a rail dining car) [[diner]] west of the [[Mississippi River]].{{cn}} The Jerry O'Mahoney Diner Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey, produced 2,000 diners from 1917 to 1941 with only six estimated to still be standing.[2]

 

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