Susan Collins: “in April of 1924, Nelson Watts and Ralph Colwell combined forces and syllables from their last names and opened the WaCo…”

“in April of 1924, Nelson Watts and Ralph Colwell combined forces and syllables from their last names and opened the WaCo Diner in Eastport, ME. One hundred years later, the WaCo is still going strong as the oldest diner in the State of Maine, proudly serving great food and friendship in America's easternmost city. The WaCo began life as a lunch wagon converted from a traveling photographer's studio. With Eastport hosting more than a dozen sardine factories, a deepwater seaport, and visitors arriving by sea and rail to enjoy the very best of Maine's rocky coast, the new establishment thrived, the wheels were removed, and the wagon was boxed in to make a permanent structure. Under a succession of owners over the years, the WaCo has expanded from a narrow lunch counter to a lovely restaurant with a spacious dining room. From the outdoor deck overlooking Passamaquoddy Bay, patrons enjoy beautiful views of Canada's Campobello Island and a passing parade of marine activity, from cargo vessels, cruise ships, and fishing boats to whales, porpoises, and seals. The current owners, Mike Del Papa and Matt Boyle, bought the WaCo in 2022, after Mike's dad Bob retired at the age of 83 after many years of operating and growing the business.…”