The Agawam Diner on Rt. 1 in Rowley was built by the Fodero Dining Car Company in 1954. An earlier Agawam Diner was opened by the Galanis Family at Depot Square in Ipswich in 1940, and was replaced by a larger diner in 1947, and then by the current one in 1954.
The diner was moved from Depot Square in 1967 to Peabody and then to its current location on Rt. 1 in Rowley, The Agawam Diner is still operated as a family business, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Shown below are photos of three successive diners that were on Market Street at Depot Square in Ipswich, across from the present Institution for Savings. Although this location is now a parking lot, the mill building in the background still stands, owned by EBSCO, and the 1847 Lord-Sullivan house and the Victorian Bailey house on the left in the photo are still standing as well. Read the complete story of the Agawam Diner.





Further reading: Diner Hotline
Great pictures!
I love old diners.
Thank you
The info you have is slightly incorrect. The Strand Diner was indeed at the Depot Square location prior to the first version of the Agawam Diner. The Strand was moved out prior to 1940 when the first Agawam Diner was brought in. This was a 1940 vintage Worcester Lunch Car with a barrel roof. It was replaced with the 1947 Worcester Streamliner and eventually was located in Rowley after being refurnbished by the Worcester Lunch Car Company. In 1970 the current Agawam Diner was brought to Rowley after being located in Depot Square from 1954 to 1960 when it was moved to Route 1 south in Peabody, where it went out of business in 1970. The first Agawam was moved from Rowley in 1970 and went up to Maine after being purchased by some people who hoped to operate it. That did not work out and the diner was moved back to Massachusetts and became the Fish Tale Diner in Salisbury…