This Restored 1950s Diner Was Once On Indiana's Most Endangered Buildings List

It's not unusual for old restaurants in America to achieve local fame within their communities because of the food they serve. What's less common is a restaurant that's as notable and recognized for the building as it is for the meals on plates inside. However, that's exactly the case for Oasis Diner in Plainfield, Indiana. The eatery was once named on the state's endangered buildings list — a testament to both its influence and rough condition not so long ago. 

The history of Oasis Diner spans more than 70 years. It was 1954 when the building that houses the restaurant was manufactured in New Jersey and then shipped to Indiana. Prefabricated diners were a popular trend of the era, with numerous companies producing standardized units that were sold to restaurateurs around the country. Many of them still exist today. 

Oasis Diner passed through various hands over the decades until 2008, when then-owner, Raymond Piercy, had to shut it down due to his ailing health. Two years later, the diner's structural decline landed it on the state's 10 Most Endangered Indiana Buildings list, selected each year by the nonprofit Indiana Landmarks, to highlight what the organization calls "historic places on the brink of extinction and too important to lose."

Although building rehabs can often be expensive and complex, the restoration of the Oasis Diner proved particularly complicated. After appearing on the 10 Most Endangered Indiana Buildings list, town officials suggested moving the diner to a more commercially viable location. This kicked off a three-year renovation process led by Doug Huff and Don Rector, Oasis Diner's new owners. They preserved the original pink-accented interior color scheme while refreshing countertops and seating. Outdoor tables were also added. Since reopening in 2014, the Oasis Diner has been thriving.

The owners describe the Plainfield community's reaction to the restoration as "overwhelmingly positive." Rector told My Indiana Home, "People who were kids in the 1950s come in to eat with their families." Today, Oasis Diner serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu mixes traditional diner foods with more unique offerings, such as Quaker grilled cheese and the bestselling Original Tenderloin, a sandwich featuring an oversized, hand-breaded pork cutlet.

To be sure, modernity has crept into the Oasis Diner. Rewards programs and online ordering are some 21st-century touches. Still, there's no doubt it's one of the best ways to get a genuine taste of diner culture as it truly was in the mid-20th century.