Lunch Wagon by the Railroad Depot, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, circa 1916

THF124830 / Lunch Wagon by the Railroad Depot, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, circa 1916
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Artifact Overview

Wheeled, horse-drawn lunch wagons served simple, affordable food to customers on the go. Intended to be brought out onto city streets at night after regular restaurants closed, some -- like this lunch wagon in Fitchburg, Massachusetts -- became permanent fixtures, open day and night. These were the forerunners of diners.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Postcard

Date Made

20 April 1916

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

87.9.23.376

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)
Ink

Technique

Printing (Process)
Handwriting

Color

Multicolored

Dimensions

Height: 3.375 in
Width: 5.375 in

Inscriptions

on front: Depot, Fitchburg, Mass. printed on back: Depot. This passenger station is on the train line of the Fitchburg division of the Boston & Maine Railroad and is the terminal of a branch of the New York, New Haven & Hartford. It is near Lower Common, at the junction of Main and Water Streets, and was erected in 1877. handwritten message on back: got home allright found all well Rose was sick for two weeks went up to her sisters is better now was good to see me my sister Annie was up sunday she said all was well from Minnie
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