This past weekend at the giant Brimfield flea market I found the charming small menu shown above and below.
The menu is for a tea house that operated seasonally from 1928 through 1940. I’m guessing it may date from the mid-1930s since the prices match those in an advertisement from 1937 [shown below].
I couldn’t determine if the Providence Airport owned the tea house, renting it to the two women who ran it, or if the women were the owners. Despite the airport’s name, both it and the tea house were actually located in Seekonk MA, 7 miles from Providence RI.
The air field was private, offering flying lessons, short touring flights, and airplane storage. Its owners also sold the newly developed Aeronca monoplane.
The two women who ran the tea house for most of its years, Mildred Burrell and Lyle Lincoln, were from Fall River MA. They seemed to enjoy the status of socialites, being free to pursue that lifestyle in the months they were not running the tea house. They were able to make a success of the business for at least 10 years, which was greater than the lifespan of most eating places. It was offered for sale in 1939, but its new operator only kept it open for a year.
According to a 1932 feature story about women and aviation, women had no place in the early days of aviation, and were not expected to ever become passengers. However, that had changed by the time of the story when they had begun to learn to fly, and made up an increasing percentage of passengers and in-flight hostesses. According to the story, the operators of the tea house had made “occasional flights, [but] neither has a license or even any interest in obtaining one.”
Various newspaper stories of groups patronizing the tea house suggest that most came from Providence. Patrons could watch the airfield’s activities, but how many of the field’s plane owners, tour takers, or students taking flying lessons patronized the tea house is uncertain. Yet this 1929 advertisement suggests that there may have been some interest in an air tour followed by dinner on weekends.
By the time the tea house closed after the 1940 season, public airports were well established, and many featured full-scale restaurants that drew the public to dine while watching planes take off and land.
© Jan Whitaker, 2025
It's great to hear from readers and I take time to answer queries. I can't always find what you are looking for, but I do appreciate getting thank yous no matter what the outcome.
Restaurant-ing through history 
Hi Jan, I enjoyed reading your post on Aviation Tea Room. I have vague memories of my Grandma Miller taking us kids to the airport restaurant after taking us to watch planes land and take off. She would also take us to the Stock Yards Cafe, which had really good home made food and pies. More recently, I went with a friend to a small airport restaurant, it must have been private, because we were looking for a specific dish. Oddly, I can’t remember what it was! I think that was in the Phoenix area. Joan
Hi Joan, Thanks so much for sharing your memories. There was a Stock Yards restaurant in Illinois too, (not surprisingly) a steak place as far as I can recall.
A terrific find Jan. Congrats!
The custom seems to have lingered since I remember as a small child going with the family to view the planes from the Cleveland airport terminal. Cheap early 1950s motor outings.
I love going to the little cafe at the local airport. And now train depot too. Watching Planes and Trains is so much fun!
That’s great! Did you ever do one of the now closed, 94th Aero Squadron in St. Louis? Thanks, Darrell
I thought I might have but can’t find it, part of a 1970s review of theme restaurants. I’ll add it to my list!