- O'Rourke's Diner
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O'Rourke's Diner 
General information Architectural style Art Deco Town or city Middletown, Connecticut Country United States Coordinates 41°33′53″N 72°39′07″W / 41.564732°N 72.651891°WCoordinates: 41°33′53″N 72°39′07″W / 41.564732°N 72.651891°W Design and construction Architect Mountain View Diner Company[1] O'Rourke's Diner is a diner located in the Main Street Historic District[2] in Middletown, Connecticut.
Contents
History
The diner was established in 1941 by John O'Rourke, who later brought the 1946 Mountain View diner car that anchored the diner's distinctive appearance into Middletown.[3] John's nephews, John and Brian bought the diner in 1976. In 1986, due to corrupted business practices John sold his half share of the diner to his cousin Brian.[4]
On August 31, 2006, O'Rourke's Diner suffered tremendous damage from a fire that broke out after a hamburger steamer was left on overnight.[5] Because the diner did not have fire insurance, fundraising efforts were launched[6] to cover the estimated $350,000 cost of repairs.[7] By June 2007, $180,000 had been raised and preparations for reconstruction were underway.[8] On February 11, 2008, following successful renovations which included assistance from the local community and Wesleyan University, O'Rourke's was reopened at 5:00 am.[9]
Awards/Distinctions
- 2005: Best Diner, Best of Connecticut 2005, Connecticut Magazine [10]
- 2008: Featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri.[11]
References
- ^ O'Rourke's Diner entry in Garbin, Randy (March 2005). Diners of New England. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. pp. 274. ISBN 9780811731416.
- ^ Kovner, Josh (2006-09-04). "Architect To Aid Rebuilding Of Diner". Hartford Courant. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-30563223_ITM. "The 60-year-old diner, damaged in a fire early Thursday, is an anchor in the North End neighborhood. It is part of the Main Street Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places."
- ^ Yonan, Joe (2006-05-17). "They brake for burgers". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2006/05/17/they_brake_for_burgers/?page=full. "Brian O'Rourke bought this beautiful diner from his uncle John, who founded it in 1941."
- ^ Ravo, Nick (1989-03-22). "At the Nation's Table". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEED81F31F931A15750C0A96F948260.
- ^ Griffin, Alaine (2007-10-19). "O'Rourke's Diner Shows Some Signs Of A Rebirth". Hartford Courant.
- ^ Gordon, Jane (2006-11-26). "COMMUNITY; Effort to Repair Diner Reaches Far and Wide". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07E0D9123EF935A15752C1A9609C8B63.
- ^ Kovner, Josh (2006-09-21). "Cost Of Rebuilding Scorched Diner Estimated At $350,000". Hartford Courant. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-30575320_ITM.
- ^ Dorn, Brittany (2007-06-12). "O'Rourke's Diner Slowly Coming Back To Life". Hartford Courant. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-31247722_ITM.
- ^ "Breakfast served again at O'Rourkes". WTNH. 2008-02-11. http://www.wtnh.com/global/story.asp?s=7852077.
- ^ "Connecticut Magazine - Best of Connecticut 2005: Places". http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15218668&BRD=2329&PAG=461&dept_id=485995&rfi=6.
- ^ Vann, Korky (6 November 2008). "Celebrity Foodie Guy Fieri Gets Firsthand Taste Of O'Rourke's Funky Cuisine". Hartford Courant. http://www.courant.com/features/food/hc-flavorctdiners.art0nov06,0,1131824.story. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
External links
- Rebuilding O'Rourkes documentary
- O'Rourke's reviews on RoadFood.com
Categories:- Middletown, Connecticut
- Restaurants in Connecticut
- Diners
- Buildings and structures in Middlesex County, Connecticut
- Visitor attractions in Middlesex County, Connecticut
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