Why Memorialize Dot's?

Dot’s Restaurant is not a memorial in the way that we would typically think about memorials. Walk inside and the history of the building is not displayed, save for the New York Times article that has been framed and hung on the wall above a table. Nothing about the tiny restaurant screams that this place is important to remember. Even though the building’s decoration doesn’t do much to memorialize all that the building has been through, the mere fact of the building’s continued existence is a testament to how much Dot’s has come to represent to so many people. While it may seem to be just another diner in the middle of a small town, after the events of Hurricane Irene in 2011 Dot’s Restaurant now occupies a strange place in both public and personal memory.

I grew up spending a great deal of time in Wilmington. Since my family has a house there, I spent many mornings taking the trip down the hill to get to Dot's before the morning rush. Because of this, Dot's is a cherished part of my childhood. While I recognize that this personal experience is not applicable to everyone, I also recognized that this experience was not a unique one. Most of the people I met in Wilmington I saw one time or another in Dot's. And they were always greeted with a warm welcome as if they were coming home. Even for people outside of Wilmington and outside of Vermont, restaurants like Dot's tend to hold a special place in people's hearts. The commonness is part of the appeal. That's what make the little touches that distinguish Dot's from all the rest, like the plush moose head on the wall all the more important.