Mark's Dairy Bar on Lincoln Way

Mark's Dairy Bar on Lincoln Way. . From 1947 to 1956 Mark and Betty Lutz owned a diner called Mark's Dairy Bar on this site on historic Lincoln Highway., Mark's Dairy Bar was operated by Betty. She was quite the multi-tasker; preparing food, serving, washing dishes, socializing with customers and, all the while, raising three very young kids in the home attached to the restaurant., Mark’s Dairy Bar was a favorite of passing truckers, blue-collar workers and Minerva High School students. They would come in to enjoy Betty’s jaw breaker hamburgers, foot-long Coneys, hand-cut french fries, milkshakes and generous banana splits. MHS students would play their favorites on the beautiful old Wurlitzer jukebox. They would dance and, with the help of her three kids, drive Betty nuts!, Before McDonald’s, Arby’s and Burger King, there were small diners throughout the USA. These diners became part of Americana just like apple pie and baseball. Mark and Betty’s diner contributed to that culture and provided the wonderful village of Minerva with a place to enjoy that Golden Era., Power Lunch. Directly across the street from Mark's Dairy Bar was the Minerva Municipal Power and Light Plant. The plant was built in 1888, expanded and upgraded consistently until it was demolished in the late 60's., When the Lincoln Way Bridge was rebuilt in 1934, the power plant provided steam heat through a system of embedded pipes to keep the surface free of snow and ice. On occasion, the plant would "blow up" (as we kids would say) and the power and lights would go out throughout the village. The kids would run outside to enjoy the excitement of a dark Minerva.