The Agawam Diner

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.

agawam_diner_today — The Agawam Diner at its current location in Rowley

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.

The Strand Diner preceded the Agawam Diner, which now is on Rt. 1 — This Strand Diner was the first diner at the location across from Depot Square in 1940. After it was replaced by a streamlined diner below, the structure was moved to Salisbury MA where it operated as the Fish Tale Diner.

Agawam diner in 1947 — The 1947 Agawam Diner at Depot Square

Agawam Diner when it was in Ipswich — The Agawam Diner was brought to Ipswich in 1954, and is now at the intersection of Rt. 1 and Rt. 133 in Rowley.

Photo from the 1913 Ipswich Mills strike. The building on the left was at one time the Greek Hotel and had a cafe. The Agawam Diner was located on that spot. On the right you can see the Whipple house at its original location.

saltonstall_zoom_1884 — Closeup from the 1884 Ipswich Birdseye map. The diner was located at the corner of Market and Saltonstall Street where the Victorian-appearing “Greek Hotel” was located. Saltonstall was known as Winter St. at that time. On the other side of the intersection, the Christian Wainwright house is circled, and the Whipple House (marked 19) is behind it. Across Market St. is the Ipswich Depot, and in the background you see the Ipswich Mills.

Today the location is a parking lot for EBSCO. Parking is now prohibited in this constricted area, giving better sight lines to the pedestrian crossing. — Today the intersection has parking lots for EBSCO on either side of Saltonstall Street. On-street parking is now prohibited in this constricted area of Market St., giving better sight lines to the pedestrian crossing.

Further reading: Diner Hotline

2 thoughts on “The Agawam Diner”

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…