HYGIENIC RESTAURANT

 
CLEAN RESTROOMS…GERM FREE DINING…SANITARY NAPKINS

Just kidding, they don’t serve food.

This building was built in 1844 by Capt. Harris a member of a prominent whaling family, as a ship store and crew’s quarters. The city was burned to the ground by forces under the command of Benedict Arnold in 1786. This building was built on the foundation of one of those buildings. In 1878 during the decline of the whaling industry it was turned into the Columbia Hotel. In 1919 the Swanson Brothers started a restaurant in the building called the Hygienic Restaurant and Delicatessen, it is assumed to advertise the purity of the food. Two famous people that were supposed to have eaten there are President Roosevelt and Al Capone. In the 1960’s the Hygienic Restaurant attracted street people, drug dealers, prostitutes, and sailors. Sailors on shore leave were supposed to have frequented the alleged brothel on the upper floors and the cocktail lounge was listed in the national directory of Gay bars in America. The restaurant closed in 1985 and the building was vacant until 1996 when it was supposed to be torn down to make a parking lot. In 1998 the local artist rallied together and gutted and rebuilt the building. It is now an art gallery.

Information from their website

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