Nostalgia & History > Hiawatha Dining Car Interior, 1935

Rather spartan. But it was during the Great Depression.

This photograph and caption are from the Minnesota Historical Society's Online Collection.

Interior of dining car on Milwaukee Railroad "Hiawatha" train.
Creation Photographer: Lawson Studios
Dates Content: Approximately 1935
ID Number HE6.33 p4


Enjoy,
Marty Bernard

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Probably real wood paneling though. You gotta love those staged PR shots!

It looks very sterile for a dining car - almost like a 50's hospital room.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> It looks very sterile for a dining car - almost
> like a 50's hospital room.


Possibly an effect in part of the b&w nature of the image. A color photo would probably give a somewhat different impression. Remember this is also mid-1930's modern.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> It looks very sterile for a dining car - almost
> like a 50's hospital room.


And, food safety and concerns about food poisoning were a widespread concern among the public at this time. Case in point: the design of White Tower restaurants, which made liberal use of ceramic tiles, was intended to reinforce a sense of cleanliness among patrons.

The window spacing seems odd. I think that adds to the less than enticing interior.

I believe this is the Milwaukee Road's Tip Top Tap -- bar/lounge. So you would not expect to see linens, etc. there were standard in dining cars of the period.

Remember that the moderne style of this period was very minimalist. Clean lines, uncluttered. There's a very good chance that this design was quite intentional.

rrhistorian Wrote:
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> SPDRGWfan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It looks very sterile for a dining car - almost
> > like a 50's hospital room.
>
>
> And, food safety and concerns about food poisoning
> were a widespread concern among the public at this
> time. Case in point: the design of White Tower
> restaurants, which made liberal use of ceramic
> tiles, was intended to reinforce a sense of
> cleanliness among patrons.


More likely much easier to clean. Easier to clean = costs less to clean.

That interior also scream LOUD to me with nothing to absorb any noise.

Thanks for sharing.

Betcha it had a cork floor.

It has a leaf pattern in light color on a dark background. My first guess would be carpet, but then, it might have been something like linoleum. I think I'd bet on the carpet though.