Durgin-Park

1874–1944

Per a summary compiled by the Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC), the restaurant was established on July 4, 1874.^[2] It was founded by John Girard Chandler (1846–1939) in cooperation with two of his brothers-in-law, John E. Durgin (1839–1892) and Elbridge Glidden Park (1839–1906).^[2] The restaurant was managed by Chandler, who added his son, Ernest L. Chandler (1874–1961), to the partnership after the death of Park.^[2] The elder Chandler acquired the restaurant's buildings on North Market Street in 1916.^[2] Originally known as Durgin, Park & Company, it became Durgin-Park by 1940.^[2] The Chandler family retained ownership through 1944, when John Girard Chandler II (a grandson of the founder) died unexpectedly.^[2] A contemporary newspaper report noted that he died at age 37 in a ship accident.^[3]

The BLC's account of an 1874 founding date is corroborated by other sources, including an advertisement that appeared in a 1919 edition of The Harvard Lampoon.^[4] and the 1939 obituary of the elder Chandler.^[1] Chandler's obituary noted a gap in his ownership; having sold his interest in 1924 to an unspecified party, he continued as manager, then reacquired ownership in 1930.^[1]

Alternate sources, from decades later, suggest a longer history, such as by giving 1827 as the year of establishment.^[5][6] Such chronologies contain anachronisms, such as by stating that the restaurant was "purchased by John Durgin, Eldridge Park and John G. Chandler in 1827"^[5] (none of them had been born yet) or that the restaurant was "bought in 1840 by John Durgin, Eldridge Park and John G. Chandler."^[7] Durgin and Park would have been infants and Chandler had not yet been born.

Newspaper advertisements for Durgin-Park, and menus used in the restaurant, simply stated that it was "Established before you were born."^[8][9]

1945–2019

In 1945, the restaurant was sold to James Hallett, who ran the operation until 1977, enhancing the restaurant's national reputation.^[10] The BLC's account notes that the restaurant's real estate was owned by Chandler heirs until 1960.^[2]

The restaurant was purchased by the Kelley family in 1972,^[11] and sold by them to Ark Restaurants in January 2007.^[12]

For a time, Durgin-Park had an additional location at Copley Place in Boston. The original Durgin-Park, as well as the one in Copley Place, was included in an "old Boston" dining review by Alexander Theroux of The New York Times in 1985.^[13]

In late summer 2010, Durgin-Park opened a beer garden in their basement bar, "The Hideout".

In December 2017, an episode of the Travel Channel's Man v. Food—season 6 episode 2—hosted by Casey Webb, included a segment at Durgin-Park.^[14]

On January 3, 2019, the CEO of Ark Restaurants announced that Durgin-Park would close on January 12^[15] due to the restaurant needing to be more profitable.^[16] The restaurant did permanently close on that date.^[17] In February 2019, an internet auction was initiated to sell over 200 items from the restaurant.^[18]

Logan Airport location

In January 2013, it was announced that Ark Restaurants had licensed a sub-location at Logan International Airport at which Durgin-Park would be offering soups and sandwiches; located in Terminal E, it opened in March 2013.^[19] The airport restaurant survived the closure of the Faneuil Hall location, but was no longer listed on the Massport website as of June 2022.^[20][21]