by Donna Swagerty Shreve
Several years ago I received a small packet of pictures from the daughter-in-law of my grandfather’s third wife. The various pictures were of my grandfather long before I knew him. I shared them with my mother and some of the pictures surprised her. She gave her input on what she could as she was not in any of the pictures. She left home at 18 years of age and never returned.
My grandfather Jesse Boone owned and ran a series of diners in various cities starting in the late 1920s. After he lost his farm in Idaho during the depression, he bought a diner. He would build up the clientele and then sell it for a profit. He would move on
to the next city and repeat. He was trying desperately to save enough money to buy another farm.
I have two pictures of Jesse during his diner days. The first picture shows Jesse standing in front of his diner named The Fueling Station. The second picture stood out to me because it was taken inside. Fortunately my mother was able to identify it as his diner in Oroville. Checking with a timeline I had done on Jesse, I was able to guess the date of the picture to be 1931. Mother mentioned that this diner was across from the city’s courthouse. With a bit of research, I was able to find the site of the courthouse and businesses around it. Across the street is a restaurant today. It is no longer a diner but the site is a restaurant.
I am curious how the picture was taken inside as film was not able to show much without good lighting which was not the norm in 1931. The details of the people are shown with their period clothing. Some of the men are wearing suits, ties, and hats. A few of the customers are obviously workmen in their bib overalls. Two young boys are also part of the group. All of the customers in this picture are men. The only woman is a waitress wearing a dress and light stockings. Jesse seems to be wearing a dress shirt and tie under his apron. He was owner and short order cook.The flooring and seating are of an era long gone with counter seats ands booths. The other items in the picture show a cash register that probably could only be found in a museum. I wish I could see the prices that are advertised on the walls. The cooking area is right out in the diner with a huge vent fan. The back room is usually where my mother and her brother lived.
Sometimes a simple picture can reveal so much more if you research the era and look for the details. I get the feeling that Jesse is proud of his diner and he had a good reputation and loyal customers if the stories I have heard are correct.
500 words
4/2/2026
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