Burnett's Diner
Also known as: Main Street Lunch; S& K Diner; Chtham Cafe; VDHR File No. 187-00
Why it's listed
Burnett's Diner at 19 South Main Street in Chatham, Virginia, began life as Car No. 66, a double-truck steel streetcar built by the Perley A. Thomas Car Company of High Point, North Carolina, and bought by the Danville Traction and Power Company in 1923. After buses replaced Danville's streetcars in 1938, brothers Henry, Frank and Jessie Burnett acquired the retired car and had it hauled about 20 miles to Chatham, where it opened as a diner around 1939. Little exterior alteration was needed, while the interior gained a counter, stools and kitchen equipment. Later work added a rear kitchen in 1983 and a restoration in the late 1980s that exposed the mahogany roof framing and repaired a 1941 neon clock. Traces of the vehicle, including wiring and a faded No Smoking sign, survive. The diner is valued as a rare streetcar conversion that still operates as a business, and it reflects the shift from rail to bus transportation.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the diner is a rare surviving streetcar-diner conversion in Virginia and possibly the eastern United States, qualifying under Criterion C for architectural rarity. It is also listed under Criterion A for its link to the history of transportation and commerce, as streetcars replaced by buses became diners during the Depression era.
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 96001451, listed December 16, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 19 S. Main St., Chatham |
|---|---|
| County | Pittsylvania County |
| Listed | December 16, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001451 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1939-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Perley A. Thomas Car Company (High Point, North Carolina) |
| Architectural style | Other |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operating as a restaurant; the adjacent former gas station, remodeled, is used as offices and counted as non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Chatham Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.82565, -79.39823 (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 96001451.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15206005
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.