Miss Toy Town Diner
Also known as: Blue Moon Diner; Bernier's Diner; Worcester Lunch Car Company #815; Skip's Blue Moon Diner
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Why it's listed
Blue Moon Diner, at 102 Main Street in Gardner, Massachusetts, is a factory-built barrel-roof diner produced in 1949 by the Worcester Lunch Car Company as diner #815. It was delivered on April 14, 1949, and first operated as the Miss Toy Town Diner in Winchendon. Gardner native Arthur L. Bernier bought it and moved it to Gardner in 1954 to replace his older Blue Moon Diner, which needed repairs. The wood-frame building is seven bays wide and three deep, with pale yellow porcelain enamel panels, blue trim, stainless steel doors with a sunburst motif and a restored interior with a marble counter. A rear addition holds more seating and kitchen space. It closed in 1960, sat vacant for years, and was restored in the 1980s with diner historian Richard Gutman. It is the last diner in Gardner and a late example of the Worcester company's handcrafted work, which is why it was listed for architecture and commerce.
Significance in brief: It is a well-preserved, late example of the barrel-roofed diners built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company, the state's premier diner builder. It is locally significant for its association with Gardner diner man Arthur L. Bernier, who moved it to the city in 1954. It is also the last diner in Gardner, a city with a diner and lunch cart history dating to 1909.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 03001242, listed December 4, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 102 Main St., Gardner |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | December 4, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03001242 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1949-1954 |
| Architect / builder | Worcester Lunch Car Company |
| Architectural style | Other: New England Barrel Roof Diner |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in the mid-1980s and operating as a restaurant; the historic name Blue Moon Diner was restored in 2000. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.57424, -71.99412 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 03001242.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715716
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.