You can read the online version of the newsletter here.
(Note: There is an error in the newsletter. On page 3, Shoefly BBQ should read Sandfly BBQ)
This quarterly newsletter is generally published in January, April, July and October.
Overview
The newsletter reports on local heritage: the Streamliner Diner’s 2025 fire and its revival as the StrangeBird/ Sandfly BBQ in Savannah, tracing the diner’s journey from Newport to college ownership and eventual reopening. It highlights Newport Historical Society activities, staff roles, and efforts preserving community memory through archives and searchable back issues.
New exhibits and discoveries are announced: a Corbin family display opening April 12, 2026, and a mysterious cache of antique dolls found at 33 Unity Road, inviting public visits and further research at the Neffleton House Museum.
Main Points
- Streamliner Diner fire & reopening The former Newport Streamliner Diner (now the StrangeBird Restaurant in Savannah, Georgia) was damaged by fire on Feb. 11, 2025 when no one was inside, and it reopened on March 13, 2026.
- Diner relocation history The Streamliner was bought in 1987 by a diner broker and moved from Newport to Concord, then Manchester, then Massachusetts, before arriving in Savannah in 1990.
- SCAD acquisition & renovation The Savannah College of Art and Design bought the Streamliner along with another diner (“Bobby’s”) for $260,000 and completed renovations.
- Later ownership In 2015 the college sold the diner, and it opened as Sandfly BBQ.
- Newport football team promise Former owner Melvin Kemp promised the 1970s football team a free cheeseburger, fries, and coke for every win; the team lost only one game across three seasons.
- Winter Carnival continuity question Newport’s Winter Carnival is promoted as the longest continuous in the nation, with debate over whether 2026 is the 110th or 111th given a one-day YMCA-sponsored carnival in 1916.
- Museum opening & Corbin exhibit The Newport Historical Society Museum planned to open April 12, 2026 with an exhibit on “The Corbins: Their Home & Family,” featuring genealogy, mansion room photos, family documents, artifacts, and metal-detected finds.
- 33 Unity Road doll mystery A hidden box found in an attic crawl space at 33 Unity Road contained about two dozen miniature dolls (estimated late 1800s–early 1900s), raising questions about who hid them and why.
How well do you know your Newport history? Take our Mill Town Messenger Challenge!
Quiz for 2026-April Mill Town Messenger
1. In what city is the former Newport Streamliner Diner located today?
- Newport, New Hampshire
- Savannah, Georgia
- Manchester, New Hampshire
- Concord, New Hampshire
2. On what date did the Strangebird Diner reopen after the fire?
- April 12, 2026
- February 11, 2025
- August 3, 2026
- March 13, 2026
3. What was the diner called in Savannah after it was sold in 2015?
- StrangeBird Restaurant
- Bobby’s Diner
- Sandfly BBQ
- Newport House Cafe
4. Which institution purchased the diner to be part of its campus?
- New England Railroad Commission
- Savannah College of Art and Design
- Dartmouth College alumni group
- Newport Historical Society trustees
5. Where in Savannah does the article direct visitors to find the diner?
- Corner of Henry and Barnard Streets
- Corner of Corbin and Edgell Streets
- Corner of Unity and Main Streets
- Corner of Washington and Central Streets
6. What reward did owner Melvin Kemp promise the football team for each win?
- A free BBQ plate and tea
- A free pizza and a soda
- A free cheeseburger meal
- A free breakfast and coffee
7. What are the museum’s summer open hours listed in the issue?
- Open Sundays 11A–2P
- Open weekdays 9A–5P
- Open Saturdays 10A–3P only
- Open daily noon–4P
8. Which new exhibit is announced for the museum opening on April 12, 2026?
- Newport’s Streamliner: 1970s Football
- The Mystery at 33 Unity Road
- The Corbins: Their Home & Family
- Queens of Winter Carnival: 1916–2026
9. What was discovered in a crawl space at 33 Unity Road?
- A box of about two dozen dolls
- A crate of old football trophies
- A drawer of antique silverware
- A trunk of winter carnival buttons
10. What time period did preliminary research suggest for the dolls found at 33 Unity Road?
- Late 1800s to early 1900s
- Mid-1700s to early 1800s
- Late 1900s to early 2000s
- Early 1900s to mid-1900s
Quiz Answers here
The Streamliner Diner’s Owners
(Based on Richard’s Library Digital Archives)
| Dates | Owner | Name of Restaurant |
| 1926 | William Lambert | Billy’s Diner |
| 1929 | Arnold Lamothe & Family (Arnold died in 1956) | Billy’s Diner |
| 10/1957 | Joseph LaMontagne (may have been just the manager) Streamliner had arrived in town in April about 6 months before LaMontagne took over. | Streamliner Diner |
| 1/1963 | Maurice Dupuis | Streamliner Diner |
| 10/1964 – 8/1967 | Aldrich Lucas | Village Diner? |
| 9/1967 | Melvin Kemp | Kemp’s Village Diner |
| 10/1/1974 | Fire Closes the Restaurant | |
| 1/1975 | Ole Nicolaisen | Newport Diner |
| 6/1975 | Louis Pelletier | Newport Diner |
| 1978 | Joseph Beecher | Newport Diner |
| 8/1985 | Elsa Hagberg & Kenneth Wilson | Pretty Good Diner |
| 6/29/1988 | Diner Moved to Concord, then Manchester NH | |
| 1990 | SCAD in Savannah, Ga. purchases the diner | |
| 2015 | Sandfly BBQ opens |
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