Join the campaign to convert Torrington’s Historic Skee’s Diner into the new and innovative Northwest Connecticut Welcome & Information Center.

The Plan

• Move the diner to a more suitable location
  just off Route 8 in Torrington, CT.
• Renovate the diner with historical accuracy.
• Utilize the diner as a community resource, promoting business & tourism throughout our region.

Why Contribute?

• To save a treasured local historical landmark.
• To continue a tradition of preserving historic structures.
• To provide a vehicle for promoting business & tourism throughout our region.

The Northwest Connecticut Education Foundation decided the historic Skee's diner was worth saving and saw the potential for something unique and useful for the community.

Funds raised in support of this one-of-a-kind project will be used to transform the diner into the new Northwest Connecticut Welcome and Information Center located just off route 8 in Torrington.

The first priority will be to stabilize and preserve the current diner to ensure that its important architectural elements are protected. The diner will then be moved in tact just down the street from its current location to a grassy knoll on the edge of the local commuter parking lot visible from route 4 and route 8.

Once situated, the diner will undergo a complete, professional and historically accurate restoration using standards set forth by the National Register of Historic Places. This will include the work on the exterior facade, roof, windows, lighting fixtures, counter, stools, and elements of the original kitchen. There will also be a new, handicapped accessible bathroom and ramp, patio deck, seating, signage and landscaping.

When completed, we envision that the new welcome center will combine the latest in display technology to promote our region to residents and visitors. At the same time it will serve as an important part to showcase our unique history and preserve the nostalgic character of the glory days of the diner era. The center will be rededicated, and become a community resource that will feature local promotional materials from area businesses and tourist information and displays. Local volunteers and staff members from The NWCT Chamber of Commerce will staff the welcome center.