the walker gorden gate house restaurant tidbits

1. The Gate House was built circa 1933.

2. It had 3 dining rooms with a capacity of 75.

3. It was considered the best eating place between New York and Philadelphia on Route 26 (a.k.a. Route 1).
4. Advertised Specials were: Fried chicken, home made pies and steaks.

5. They also sold ice cream and milk.

6. A "Hot Steak Platter" was the most famous meal.

7. Buck Watlington was the Gate House chef for 4 or 5 years until 1938.

8. They used the vegetables from the garden behind the Gate House. Vegetables were also grown at the farm.

9. They also had a flower garden. These flowers were sold at the back of the Gate House and also were used for decorating the tables.

10. Rudy Wellnitz washed dishes there as a young man

11. There was always a waiting line out front on a Sunday afternoon for dinner.

12. Next to the Gate House was a log cabin building with a bake oven, office and residence rooms.

13. "Bonnie Watlington Taft recalls helping her father raise produce and chickens when she was 12 years old. The chickens were sold to Walker-Gordon's restaurant, the Gate House, at the corner of Route 1 and Plainsboro Rd." -quoted from the Broadside Fall 1998 The Village of Princeton Junction: Part II publication of the Historical Society of West Windsor.

14. The property, including the Gate House, was sold to FMC in 1955. It had been closed for a while before the sale (1950?).

15. It was torn down when the NJ DOT installed the jughandle at Route 1 North and Plainsboro Rd. circa 1959.

16. Note the artifacts in the display case.

Walker-Gordon Gate House Restaurant Interior View.

Main dining area -dated 6/20/1934

Walker-Gordon Gate House Restaurant Exterior Rear View