Chautauqua County

Ripley

Guy Russell built a diner in November of 1930 that he placed in his front yard. Russell was listed in the 1930 census as a dining car builder. - grandson and census

11/14/30 - Sold to John Teft and moved to North East, PA - Dunkirk Observer

See photo on NorthEast, Penna facebook page.

Westfield -

The Closson Lunch Wagon Company was moved to Westfield by Dr. Charles Welch in 1912. The company came from Glens Falls, New York where it was started by Albert Closson in 1903. The company lasted until 1916 when they were declared a bankrupt.

Articles all Westfield Republican

8/28/12 - The Clawson Lunch Wagon Factory is an Assured Success.

11/6/12 - The Closson Lunch Wagon Company Organize and Elect Officers and Directors.

4/23/13 - Closson Lunch Wagon

5/21/13 - The Closson Lunch Car was Exhibited on Our Streets Last Saturday - It Met with Warm Approval From Our Citizens.

9/23/14 - The Plant is Doing a Nice Business and Needs Larger Quarters.

There was a Closson lunch wagon in Westfield near the B & L.E.T. depot in 1915.

Earl Richardson, Westfield resident brought his home made lunch wagon to Silver Creek in 1909 and never left. He started building lunch wagons in 1921 until he passed away in 1925.

Richardson built diner.

5/6/26 - Wallace Stafford moved to Westfield and bought diner from Bruce Murray - Grape Belt

8/9/34 - "William Bourne & William Monro have gone to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where they will install and operate the lunch car which was formerly at Main & Elm" - Dunkirk Observer

Starlite Diner -

photo - Called the Starlite Dinor. - American Diner Museum archives

11/15/37 - "A dining car which for 2 years was located across the street from Cease Lunch Car on Central Avenue was taken to Westifeld by Bert A. Maggio. Formerly owned by Leo Vido{Vidal?} of Westfield who ran it until early Spring. Will be moved to Main Road Cottage Camp near Westfield." - Dunkirk Observer

5/28/38 - Starlite Diner grand opening "where quality rules"- Westfield Republican

Modern Diner -

10/31/34 - Menu, mentions location as Main & Union

6/38 - Foundation laid for addition to dining room - Dunkirk Observer

This Ward and Dickinson diner moved to Corry, Pennsylvania and later to Sherman, New York.

Today - Main Diner

Odds & Ends - Westfield

5/9/47 - Al Smith & Pat Parks owned Westfield Diner. Came up with spoons for fishing and commercialized idea - Dunkirk Observer

Ward & Dickinson diner number 36 was moved to Westfield. It originally was sent to Delray, Florida and then moved to 303 Hess St in Erie, Pennsylvania where it was owned by John Stead, who also owned another diner in Erie. This is probably the current diner in Westfield, but that can not be verified.

Mayville -

9/21/28 - Harley Barber applies for lease of land for lunch wagon - Mayville Sentinel

10/5/28 - Village Grants Barber Application for dining car lot - Mayville Sentinel

10/26/28 - Lunch Wagon Arrives from Dunkirk, bult by the Mulholland Company.. "It will be in charge of an expert chef to be sent here by the Dunkirk company." - - Mayville Sentinel

11/2/28 - Announcement of opening for Mayville Dining Car, located in the village Park adjoining Fire Hall. - Mayville Sentinel

11/2/28 Free Coffee to be served opening day of new dining car. - Mayville Sentinel

12/21/28 - known as Club Diner

3/12/29 - Harley Barber, who has run the lunch car here since Nov 1, sold it to the (Clarence R.)Meade Bros. of Westfield. One brother has experience in the lunch car business in Westfield. - Dunkirk Observer

Frank Rode was night clerk in 1930

Diner moved to Sinclairville in 1947

Around 1950, the Sorge Dining Car Company of Silver Creek placed one of their diners in Mayville. The diner stood until 2020ish until fire, known as Bo'Nars Restaurant.

Brocton -

6/1/23 - George Dickinson took his dining car and family to Brocton. - Silver Creek Gazette

12/18/24 - Clyde, Elliot & Howard Manning purchased the George Dickinson lunch car at Brocton. Howard will be in charge of the car. - Silver Creek Times

1/22/25 - Miss Alice Dickinson is employed by Howard Manning in his lunch wagon in Brocton. - Silver Creek Times

12/17/25 - The Elliott & Manning Lunch Car at Brocton has been sold to Mrs. Fred Guenther. - Silver Creek Times

1929 - Florence Bennett in charge of Keegan lunch car during absence - Fedonia Censor

1/14/32 - Daniel Keagan says business has been good after holidays, especially during depression - Fredonia Censor

5/3/32 - Keegan dining car being remodeled - Fredonia Censor

In 1931, the Mulholland Dining Car Company built a new barrel roofed diner that they placed in Brocton, then known as the Empire State Diner. Later became known as Brocton Diner and today is known as the Green Arch Restaurant.

Leland Powell opened up Empire State Diner in 1931.

Odds & Ends of Brocton

Roy Nelson had a diner in town in 1933

Powell Diner in 1942 and 1947(S.M. Powell)

1955 - Milton Nickols owned Brocton Diner. Mrs. Neil Woleben & Florence Cury employees.

Sheridan -

We got at least two possible diners in Sheridan.

Mrs. Nina Orr and daughter Marjorie have taken charge of lunch car at Bungalow camp - Sheridan news in Freonia Censor

Kimball Stand -

1952 - Main Diner from Fredonia is moved to Kimball Stand by Mike Palermo, who owns Mike's Tavern in Fredonia. - Fredonia Censor

Chautauqua -

Since 1944 there has been a diner at the entrance to the Chautauqua Institution. The diner's original history is unknown, but it has survived many threats to its existence. This is Ward and Dickinson diner #306.

The diner itself had a good history.  Mostly what is left of the diner in the 2000s was the back bar, which is why we know the number of this diner.  My leading theory is that this diner was in Lancaster, New York for roughly 7 years.  It's more a feelign where the dates do roughly align nicely.

Sinclairville -

The Mulholland diner from Mayville came to town in 1947.  Lil' Abner Diner

Cassadaga -

7/29/48 - "Blue Bus" lunch car is in the vacant spot next to the building formerly used as a meat market - Fredonia Censor

8/28/48 - "Blue Bus Diner" left town due to lack of patronage - Fredonia Censor

Cherry Creek -

12/1940 - June Bounett has closed the diner at Cherry Creek and is now at her parent's house in No God's Hollow - Fredonia Censor

Fredonia -

(Something is wrong here with Hall's and Kopp's lunch wagon with the mention of former buildings on locations)

Unsure of where these belong

4/23/19 - W. J. Hall given permission to place and operate lunch wagon on Hotel Columbia site. Was a D.A.V.&P-B.&L.E. 1882 model. - Dunkirk Observer

6/1920 - Hall Lunch Car

6/25/23 - Lightning at Hayes lunch car at 21 Water St. - Dunkirk Observer

10/10/57 - George Dickinson of Dunkirk has leased the Hillcrest Diner - Fredonia Censor

Main Diner - 41-43 W. Main

3/29/24 - Harry Hotchkiss put a lunch wagon on wheels on northerly side of West Main St. - Fredonia Censor (Richardson built diner)

1/6/26 - Harry Hotchkiss owner - Dunkirk Observer

5/21/27 - Mr. & Mrs. Harry Hotchkin(spelling) who have conducted Main Dining Car for three years have bought a Ward & Dickinson as a replacement. - Dunkirk Observer

8/11/27 - Barry Lint & Mr. Pitt have purchased lunch car from Harry Hotchkiss - Grape Belt

11/19/29 - Fire at diner - Dunkirk Observer

1930 - Mrs. Bertha Hall owner - City Directory

1935 - Kenneth S. Powell owner - City Directory

9/4/36 - Stewart Burlage buys Main Diner from Kenneth Powell - Fredonia Censor

3/7/42 - Steward Burlage passed away. Owned diner since at least 1938 - Dunkirk Observer

8/1/42 - Alex K. Dickson bought diner from Mrs. Steward Burlage. - Dunkirk Observer

12/44 - Herbert Bayer(spelling) bought Main Diner from Alex Dickson. Baye contemplating moving to Arizona - Fredonia Censor

4/14/45 - Herbert Baye has permission to enlarge diner. - Dunkirk Observer

3/3/48 - Main Diner damaged by fire. Owned by Mr. & Mrs. Ray Arnold of Mayville, who recently bought it from Herbert Baye of Fredonia. Several holes through roof. - Dunkirk Observer

4/30/48 - Grand Reopening

2/25/52 -0 Main Diner offered for sale. Diner was being redone, and old diner was not needed anymore - Fredonia Censor

1952 - Main Diner moved to Kimball Stand, near Jamestown. To be run by Mike Palermo, proprietor of Mike's Tavern. - Fredonia Censor

Park Diner - 24 W. Main - may have moved to this site from another

10/31/23 - George Kopp's lunch wagon robbed. Bought from Rawson Bros. Kopp was original owner and just bought it back. Located on W. Main. - Dunkirk Observer

10/5/27 - John C. Donnelly proprietor of Park Diner. Dunkirk Observer (City Dir says diner is at 9 Day St. in 1930)

11/28/30 - Park Diner to be sold at bankruptcy sale. - Dunkirk Observer

4/7/33 - George Kopp buys Park Diner now located on East Main St, opposite Cleveland Ave and moved it to West Main St. Car formerly owned by J.C. Donnelly and will be remodeled and painted. Leased to Edward Crimens and Josephine McPhee - Fredonia Censor

4/14/33 - Moved to its new location on West Main St., the Park Diner is now under proprietorship of George Kopp and will open soon - Fredonia Censor

7/25/33 - Edward Crimens has purchased George Kopp's dining car located on site of Crimen's former cigar store. - Dunkirk Observer

6/17/40 - Harry Stanton moves diner westward on land owned by Joseph Petz - Fredonia Censor

8/8/40 - Florence P. Crimens sold diner to Harry Stanton of Buffalo - Dunkirk Observer

8/10/48 - Harry M. Stanton moved building one lot west. - Dunkirk Observer

1/10/56 - Harry Stanton passed away. Made many alterations to diner - Fredonia Censor

Johnson's Diner - 16 Water St. - unknown make

10/33 - Walter's Lunch Car - Fredonia Censor

1935 - Water Street Diner - "Dining Car food served as you like it" - Fredonia Censor

5/23&27/38 - Walter Tucholski addition to lunch car - Fredonia Censor

12/24/42 - Eric Gulburg permit for $100 addition to dining car. - Dunkirk Observer

1/11/46 - Eric Gullburg, owner since 1942 sold property to Frank B. Gustafson. Place was remodeled a year ago - Dunkirk Observer

7/1946 - Burns B. Morris and William S. Tant owned Water Street Restaurant - Fredonia Censor ad

7/26/47 - Robert Fales of Lake View near Buffalo purchased from Burns Morris, the Water St. restaurant known as Johnson's Diner - Dunkirk Observer

1948 - Water Street Restaurant - Fredonia Censor

1951 - Toy Town was here

266 West Main St.

1938 - Sam Apthorpe lunch car - Fredonia Censor

1955 - Permit given to enlarge diner to either Lynford E. Kimball or Glenn Hoenig - Fredonia Censor

Family Diner - Ward & Dickinson

Came from Kendall Station in Silver Creek.

6/11/49 - Family Diner grand opening. 4 miles from Dunkirk city line on Route 20. Harris Mead & Gardner Freling owners. Bill Ahlf manager. - Dunkirk Observer

11/11/54 -Joseph Militello, owner of Family Diner passed away - Fredonia Censor

9/6/62 - "Irish Billy" Collins of Springville purchased the Family Diner from Mr. & Mrs, Samuel Militello of Silver Creek - Fredonia Censor

Dunkirk -

Mulholland Company - Manufacturer of diners from 1925 to 1931+.  They started out building automobile bodies and built diners on the side.  Their diners were built with a metal frame, since they were coming from the automobile side of things, they were more familiar with this method than a regular wood frame.  

Odna B. Mulholland President-Treasurer & R. I. Mulholland - Vice President-Secretary

5/19/26 - Article about business with picture - Dunkirk Observer

Dunkirk Dining Car Company - Formed in 1925 to place and sell Mulholland Diners.

9/25/25 - Dunkirk Dining Car Company info - Grape Belt

Modern Dining Car Company - A possible company that either built or sold diners built in Dunkirk.  The grandson of the owners of Pickups Diner in Olean says there were a couple of stories, but the most colorful was that Pickup was in a company that placed diners built in Dunkirk.  They had two in Batavia and ????? and another in New York City.  Due to the mob, they had to get the diner out during the dead of night. That diner was moved to Olean and became Pickups Diner.  This company may have existed, or it may have been the Dunkirk Dinnig Car Company, because that seemed to have troubles as well.

10/17/25 - William Puppenbroke takes one year leave of absence from Police to run a Mulholland Diner in Dunkirk, on Central Ave. just south of West 4th St. on the Isham estate.  (This blurb has never been substantiated, but Puppenbroke turned up in Ohio running a diner. I believe Lorain, Ohio)

Main Diner - 404 Main - Mulholland

6/3/25 - Permission for Mulholland to place lunch car at Main and Fourth - Dunkirk Observer

8/20/25 - Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Smith have moved to Dunkirk where they have purchased a Lunch car on Main St. - Silver Creek Times

3/2/32 - The Dunkirk Diner, previously the Main Diner is under new management. - Dunkirk Observer

1935 - 1942 Katherine & Harold Sheehan - City Dir.

6/48 - Fred Odel & Richard Sholtys takes over Dunkirk Diner from Anthony Polito. - Dunkirk Observer

11/1/49 - Ray Bogardus & Richard N. Smith bought diner from Fred Odel & Richard Sholtys and have already taken charge - Dunkirk Observer

Cease's Diner - 405 Central - Mulholland

1935 - William W. Cease - City Dir.

10/18/37 - Fred Odebralski goes from dishwasher to manager of Cease Lunch System on Central Ave. - Dunkirk Observer

1943 - Diner to be removed - Dunkirk Observer

Harbor Diner - 2 Lake Shore Dr. - Mulholland

6/28/33 - Petition placed by Kenneth S. Powell to place dining car at Central & Lake Shore. - Dunkirk Observer

4/26/34: Opening of Powell Diner at corner of Central and Lake Shore Dr. - Dunkirk Observer

1935-40 Mrs. Gertrude Giebner - City Dir.

Diner - 406 Central

10/30/31 - George Kopp & Thomas Vidal to operate lunch car at 406 Central - Dunkirk Observer

11/2/34 - Tom Vidal to open diner across from Cease's Central Ave wagon about November 15th. The new lunch car was put in place this week end. - Fredonia Censor

(check the years on the last two, one must be wrong)

4/6/36 - Thomas Vidal of Fredonia sold diner to Julian Bilicke of Dunkirk. - Dunkirk Observer

1/22/37 - diner sold to Fred L. Davis - Dunkirk Observer

10/15/37 - Diner moved to Westfield - See Westfield (This is believed to be the Starlight Diner)

Odds & Ends

Dunkirk residents that works in a diner factory in 1930

Benjamin H. Wirish - welder

Clarence R. Clark - carpenter

Silver Creek -

265 Central Ave - In April 1927, Mrs. Florence Clute bought a National Dining Car and ran it until August 1931.  She sold it to Ernest Blanding who took over August 13, 1931 and ran it until Feb 1948.  On February 28, 1948 Daniel V Conny and Samuel W Villafranca too over and ran it until 1952 when they sold to Frank Chiappone and Carmen Contino who took the diner away on June 7, 1959.

It is believed that some time in 1923, Earle Richardson built a new lunch car to replace his older one.  He would pass away on the operating table in 1925 and his estate would sell the diner to C.J. Yonk who recenty came back from Bryan, Ohio where he was operating a Richardson built diner.  Yonk bought the diner on May 15, 1926 and ran it for a short time.  Somewhere along the line, Emeroy Harrington would take over operations of the diner. Harrington ran a Mulholland diner in Defiance, Ohio which failed, but he had good success in Silver Creek.  Harrington moved on to Oil City, Pennsylvania, back into another Mulholland diner and sold it to Ernest and Florence Centner.  Florence was the former Miss Florence Clute, so she was an adept diner operator.  They ran it until 1948 when Ernest passed away and a week later on July 26, 1948, Vincent and Gerald Sorge took over the diner and ran it until September of 1951 when they removed the iconic diner from its location.

From November 1924 to September 25, 1927 Ward and Dickinson diner #4 was in Silver Creek.  LeRoy Payne ran it until May 11, 1925.  LeRoy moved to Kane, Pennsylvania where he ran another Ward and Dickinson #18.  Payne sold #4 to Kraft and Schwerk who ran the diner for a couple more years.  After this it moved to Cleveland, Ohio

For the summer of 1925, Ward and Dickinson #9 was in Silver Creek, run by Walter Plum at the Silver Creek Alligator and Ostrich zoo.  Payne listed the diner for sale with an ad in the local paper.  This showed that the diner looked more like a Richardson diner than a Ward and Dickinson.  No clue where the diner went, but Plum moved to Girard, Pennsylvania.

A diner of unknown manufacturing was run in Silver Creek.  A mention in 1925 (which said 4 diners were all running in the summer of 1925, ready to serve tourists:Richardson's, Payne's, Plum and this one) and an ad in July of 1926 which listed Frank Sharron and Clarence Hagen as owners.  No clue how long it lasted. Sadly, this diner flew under the radar of the local newspaper.

Leaving Silver Creek to the west, US Rt 20 followed what is today Old Main Rd.  The road  has a couple more twists than today's straight shot west and south.  Alnog this road was a Kendall Gas Station and Tourist Camp.  Ward and Dickinson diner #57 was placed here after a shot time in Cleveland, Ohio.  It started June 3, 1927 and lasted until early 1932 when it was replaced with a larger diner, Ward and Dickinson #244, which was a special diner. We'll get to that in a minute.  Back to diner #57 first.This diner moved to Irving, New York where Veva Lewis ran the diner for an unknown number of years.

Now we can get back to #244.  This diner was at least 12.5 feet wide if not 13 ft wide, which was too wide for rails, and a rarity for Ward and Dickinson.  The math is that a typical Ward and Dickinson had 4 end windows and was 10.5 ft wide and this special diner had 5 windows across.  This diner ran at the Kendall Station from May 8, 1932 and stayed there up until 1949 when it was remodeled by the Sorge Dining Car Company of Silver Creek and moved west to Fredonia.

Earl Richardson & Rich Dining Car Company -  Earl (Earle) Richardson came from Westfield, supposedly for old home day, to run a lunch wagon in Silver Creek and never left.  By 1921 he was building lunch cars and also owned his own lunch car.  Being from Westfield, he knew about the Closson Lunch Wagon Company, so it's not doubt he was influenced by Closson in the design of his lunch car.  Business picked up with little advertising. It seemed like Earl was a popular and influencial person and was able to talk many residents to buying lunch cars and placing them in various locations.  You can find the list of Silver Creek residents who left Silver Creek to run richardson built lunch cars atthe bottom of the main page.  Earl died on the operating table in 1925, but the busines kept going on.  His son, Raymond, fresh out of college tried to take over.  His wife was from Dayton, Ohio and her father had some money that he put into the company to move it to Dayton, Ohio.  Between southern Ohio not really having diner towns, the company had always relied on Earl's influence, and Raymond was too young to have that type of influence and a small recession, the company failed in a year or two.

Dr. J. J. Sharpe & National Dining Car Company - A Dr. Fitzpatrick had a lunch car built in 1923. Dr. Sharpe joined him soon after and then took over the small side business.  They had built 6 diners by mid 1925 and were mostly imitating the Richardson style of diner.  The last metnion of this company was mid 1927 and at the time they were building a diner with a barrel roof. 

Ward & Dickinson Dining Car Company - This is the company everyone knows.  Lee Dickinson was the mayor of Silver Creek when it started and he was, by all accounts, a shrewd businessman.  He got Berthel Kofoed, experienced carpenter to be in charge of the plant.  From my research, this fact can not be undervalued in the success of the company.  Charles Ward also knew what he was doing. He was a successful Hotel operator and knew how to run and design a kitchen.  Unfortunately Ward suffered health issues and may have had disagreements with Dickinson.  He got bought out in 1927 and went to a Detroit Hospital. But shortly thereafter, he was in Buffalo starting up the Liberty Dining Car Company.  Back in Silver Creek, Lee dickinson was expanding the factory and doing a great job with the company.  The great depression took a toll, and it seems Dickinson never expected this to be a long lasting company and did not roll with the changes as much as the east coast companies did.  Though, Ward and Dickinson was possibly the first company to build and design multi piece diners, which became the norm years later.  By late 1937, Berthel Kofoed was let go due to the decrease in business, but the company limped on up into 1940 if not beyond.

Goodell Dining Car Company - The Goodell Hardware Company of Silver Creek decided to build a few diners on the side.  They looked very similar to Richardsons and Ward and Dickinsons, though were quite simply built diners, though they did have mahogany interiors.  We currently know where three of their diners went. 

Sorge Dining Car Company -  Sorge built at least one diner in 1940, that went to Oil City, Pennsylvania.  After the war they started back up, and remodeled a diner built by Ward and Dickinson which went to Fredonia, New York. I believe another diner went to Ashtabula and one went to Mayville that was destroyed by fire around 2021.

Irving -

Other mentions:

3/16/34 - Vernon Jones of Brocton is employed at a lunch car at the junction of Boulevard & Main in Irving - Dunkirk Observer

1937 - Vera's Diner & Ebling Dining Car

1944 - Helen's Junction Diner

Jamestown -

Falconer -

- 14 E. Main St. - Richardson

2/8/24 - Mr & Mrs. Howard Chapman left Monday for Falconer, where they and Mr. & Mrs. Chas. Hoeffner will install a new lunch car. - Grape Belt

2/7/24 - Traveling restaurant coming to town. 5 year lease on land - Jamestown Evening Journal

1926 - Walter L. Carr - City Dir

1928 - William O. Eldredge & Lorenzo W. Carr - City Dir

1930 - 1932 - Earl K. States - City Dir

possibly moved to 5 N. Work in 1934, this is only a guess.

Miller Dinor - 22 E. Main St. - Ward & Dickinson

1930 - 1948 - Lucy. & Frank W. Miller - 1943 newspaper said they were selling because of death in family. That article said 16 years old and located on NY 17.. In 1938, won best decorated business in Falconer during Christmas time.

moved to 14 E. Main in 1934

1949 - 1955 - Ronald Nunn - Ronnie's Diner 

Fire reported July 1, 1955 gutted the place, so I'm questioning if Lulu Hazlett actually ran the diner. Article said the diner seated 50, so it must have been added on to. Said Nunn owned for 7 years.

1956 - 1957 - Lula Hazlett

Picture - "Around North Collins" by Georgianna Bowman - Arcadia - When I contacted them to get a copy of the photo, they said it was never returned by Arcadia books.  It was "lost"

possible diners in Falconer

5 N. Work & 457 W. Main