Mornings on Maple Street

a collection of articles, stories, photographs, the Lewis Hine Project, and much more by Joe Manning

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DINERS, CAFES & SMALL TOWNS - Page 2

I grew up in rural southern Maryland. My grandfather used to take me on wayward drives on Saturdays, and we would check out every road and every little town along the way. We always looked for a small cafe or luncheonette on some quiet Main Street, and we would sample the hamburgers and hot chocolate.

I loved to look at the factories, houses, gas stations and storefronts. I learned to appreciate the simple beauty of the American landscape, especially the faded brick buildings of painter Edward Hopper’s world.

My grandfather passed on when I was 14 years old. Thirty years later, I was Dad, the strange guy who was always driving his kids along the back roads, stopping for hot chocolate in diners, and leading them on a walk down Main Street in each newly discovered town.

Now that the kids are out of the house, my wife and I spend much of our leisure time exploring small towns and eating at the places where the locals hang out. Here are a few discoveries.

Please read the summaries and click on the titles.

Crossing A New Bridge (2012)

At the lower end of Rita Street, in Springfield, Vermont, there is a short, steep path through the woods that leads down to the intersection of River Street and North Main Street. Just across River Street is a footbridge that crosses the Black River and connects to the front … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ARTICLES, STORIES & POEMS, DINERS, CAFES & SMALL TOWNS

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