Remembering Service Stations of the Past
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mayken4now
Well-known member
Mr. Brent
Thanks for posting! Was a fun trip. Remember in Morgan City/Bayou Vista on the "old highway" was a Sinclair and a Billups station. Full service no doubt. In Basile used to stand the Esso station. Also full service with a self service island. Oh,telling my age? PSST, D G A D!
Thanks for posting! Was a fun trip. Remember in Morgan City/Bayou Vista on the "old highway" was a Sinclair and a Billups station. Full service no doubt. In Basile used to stand the Esso station. Also full service with a self service island. Oh,telling my age? PSST, D G A D!
I recall, as a tyke, when Texaco service station workers dressed like this. Windows were cleaned, gas pumped, oil and fluids checked and topped off. Then they'd take your money and return with the change. It took longer than today's quick self-serve pay-at-the-pump stops, but oh, what service!
Hi Steve,
I do remember the stations on the old Hwy heading to Franklin and Lafayette. I think the buildings are still there and are used as storage.
I also remember when they would give toys to the kids if you filled up! What a way to manipulate kids to scream and cry for Daddy to fill up the car! First was Gas Stations and then Fast Food places!
About Full service. I think in Oregon and Jersey it is Law that all stations are Full Service. Interesting.
I do remember the stations on the old Hwy heading to Franklin and Lafayette. I think the buildings are still there and are used as storage.
I also remember when they would give toys to the kids if you filled up! What a way to manipulate kids to scream and cry for Daddy to fill up the car! First was Gas Stations and then Fast Food places!
About Full service. I think in Oregon and Jersey it is Law that all stations are Full Service. Interesting.
The Bomber is located in Milwaukee, Oregon near Portland. That plane is currently being disassembled and will be fully restored to it's original state.
My dad owned/operated a Gulf for 25 years, from 1960-ish to 1985-ish at which time his half of the business was sold to his 2nd partner (an idiot who didn't take long to run it all down). A separate building was added on the adjacent lot in the early 1970s to warehouse a large variety of tires (passenger vehicles to trucks, tractors and combines), racks made of pipe 4 or 5 levels high. My sisters and I and some of our friends would occasionally play in the stacks, end up dirty as hell! The service station building still exists but has been remodeled as a storage facility, the canopy and pumps are long gone.
whirlcool
Well-known member
That does bring back memories!
When I was a kid there were all kinds of service stations that you could visit and hang out with the mechanics and ask them lots of questions about what they do. I usually went there to get air in my bicycle tires.
There were Sinclair, Shell, Standard, Mobil and Humble stations galore. The one Mobil station near our house must have been built around 1915 or so. It was a stuccoish small building with one car lift. The guys who ran it were nice and that's where we got the gas for our cars from.
Meanwhile the guys at the Shell station weren't that friendly. They just wanted you in and out as quickly as possible. Instead of being greeted with "What will it be today, or what will you have?" They would say "What do you want", very curtly.
But all those stations are long gone now. I remember in California seeing the Chevron/Standard stations and wondering how they were different from the Standard stations we saw in Chicago.
We had Sunoco stations in Chicago for a few years, I always liked the vast amount of grades of fuel you could buy wondering if that was just a sales gimmick or not.
They weren't in Chicago very long before their stations shut down. I haven't seen any Sunoco stations since that I am aware of. I wonder where their marketing area is?
When I was a kid there were all kinds of service stations that you could visit and hang out with the mechanics and ask them lots of questions about what they do. I usually went there to get air in my bicycle tires.
There were Sinclair, Shell, Standard, Mobil and Humble stations galore. The one Mobil station near our house must have been built around 1915 or so. It was a stuccoish small building with one car lift. The guys who ran it were nice and that's where we got the gas for our cars from.
Meanwhile the guys at the Shell station weren't that friendly. They just wanted you in and out as quickly as possible. Instead of being greeted with "What will it be today, or what will you have?" They would say "What do you want", very curtly.
But all those stations are long gone now. I remember in California seeing the Chevron/Standard stations and wondering how they were different from the Standard stations we saw in Chicago.
We had Sunoco stations in Chicago for a few years, I always liked the vast amount of grades of fuel you could buy wondering if that was just a sales gimmick or not.
They weren't in Chicago very long before their stations shut down. I haven't seen any Sunoco stations since that I am aware of. I wonder where their marketing area is?
brib68
Well-known member
Wow. For no logical reason other than nostalgia, I sure do miss Sohio! (Boron, south of the river!)
Some of those old stations were quite the showplaces! And funny to see how some of today's commonplace things had their start so long ago--like self-service and corn alcohol-blended gasoline.
I don't remember ever getting a toy when my folks filled up, but we did have a set of glassware from Marathon with the BC comic strip characters.
Some of those old stations were quite the showplaces! And funny to see how some of today's commonplace things had their start so long ago--like self-service and corn alcohol-blended gasoline.
I don't remember ever getting a toy when my folks filled up, but we did have a set of glassware from Marathon with the BC comic strip characters.
I love the demonstration of self-reliance by the lady with the Dalmatians!
Ahead of her time and determined to save a dime, I'm guessing.
Up until several years ago we had a Shell station in the neighborhood that still had one full-serve bank of pumps. The attendants were conditioned to trot out to every car that pulled up. No walking allowed.
Ahead of her time and determined to save a dime, I'm guessing.
Up until several years ago we had a Shell station in the neighborhood that still had one full-serve bank of pumps. The attendants were conditioned to trot out to every car that pulled up. No walking allowed.
iheartmaytag
Well-known member
That was back in the day when there was Service
at the service station.
My mother played a small part in the demise of the Full Service station. On June 12. 1972 she opened the first Self-Serve gas station in the state of Kansas.
It was a big deal then, as they were previously outlawed in Kansas until the remote shut-off was installed. Not such a big deal now, but back on June 1, when the approval for Self-serve was granted it caused quite an earthquake from the stations that charged .03 to .05 cents a gallon more to full serve.
When the station opened gas was .23 cents for Regular (leaded) and .25 for Premium (leaded).
at the service station.
My mother played a small part in the demise of the Full Service station. On June 12. 1972 she opened the first Self-Serve gas station in the state of Kansas.
It was a big deal then, as they were previously outlawed in Kansas until the remote shut-off was installed. Not such a big deal now, but back on June 1, when the approval for Self-serve was granted it caused quite an earthquake from the stations that charged .03 to .05 cents a gallon more to full serve.
When the station opened gas was .23 cents for Regular (leaded) and .25 for Premium (leaded).
The Bomber
Here's an article that was posted about The Bomber. Pretty interesting read and cool pictures.
www.oregonlive.com
Here's an article that was posted about The Bomber. Pretty interesting read and cool pictures.
The 'Lacey Lady' B-17 bomber, a Milwaukie landmark, comes down from its perch
A World War II B-17 Bomber airplane that has stood as a McLoughlin Boulevard landmark for 67 years came down from its perch on Wednesday as its owners make the first step toward a complete restoration. A crew spent more...
Thanks for posting these! I always like seeing pics of old gas stations, motels and restaurants.
Would have been even better if they gave the location of the stations. I saw one was at Little America, so I'm guessing that is in Wyoming on Lincoln Hwy. (US30). I remember going through there on the bus going to Calif. in '85.
The automated parking garage is neat. I'm almost certain there was one that was about like that in Cincinnati, but no one I've asked can remember. I printed out the pic of it to show them; maybe that will jog their memory.
Would have been even better if they gave the location of the stations. I saw one was at Little America, so I'm guessing that is in Wyoming on Lincoln Hwy. (US30). I remember going through there on the bus going to Calif. in '85.
The automated parking garage is neat. I'm almost certain there was one that was about like that in Cincinnati, but no one I've asked can remember. I printed out the pic of it to show them; maybe that will jog their memory.
whirlcool
Well-known member
Somewhere packed away in a box we still have a set of NFL "globe" glasses that Shell gave away as a premium every time you filled up. And I remember Standard used to give you S&H Green Stamps with your purchase.
Anyone remember DX gas stations? I only remember seeing them in rural areas.
Anyone remember DX gas stations? I only remember seeing them in rural areas.
Back when I was a kid there were gas stations all over town, at least every 4 or 5 blocks. There were 5 within a 6 block radius of our current house all gone now. Now there is only one in the north end of town where the 402 splits us in half. Most are located along the shopping strips in the southend now . We still have Esso and Shell (and the later Petro Can) and some independents but Texaco, Gulf, White Rose and Sunoco are history.
Here's an old Sarnia pic of an Imperial (later Esso) station not far from us, next door was Dels BBQ with dancing etc.. and what it looks like there today
Here's an old Sarnia pic of an Imperial (later Esso) station not far from us, next door was Dels BBQ with dancing etc.. and what it looks like there today
danemodsandy
Well-known member
The One I Remember Best.....
....Was one of these Sears "Allstate" toy service stations, made by Marx.
I got my first one in 1955, and a replacement in 1957, having worn out the first one through sheer affection.
Sadly, the second one was consumed in The Great Fire of '59, and I was probably considered to be a bit long in the tooth for another.
I keep thinking that one day I really should try to find one in good condition, for memory's sake. I still remember how to operate the lift in the service bay!
....Was one of these Sears "Allstate" toy service stations, made by Marx.
I got my first one in 1955, and a replacement in 1957, having worn out the first one through sheer affection.
Sadly, the second one was consumed in The Great Fire of '59, and I was probably considered to be a bit long in the tooth for another.
I keep thinking that one day I really should try to find one in good condition, for memory's sake. I still remember how to operate the lift in the service bay!
Somewhere around 1930...
My grandpa's Ford dealership in Waynesburg, Ohio.
Gas pump is Allegheny Gas.
Never knew my grandfather, he passed away in 1933 when my dad
was just 13. Dad told stories of the new Fords coming in on
railcars on a siding behind the building.
My grandpa's Ford dealership in Waynesburg, Ohio.
Gas pump is Allegheny Gas.
Never knew my grandfather, he passed away in 1933 when my dad
was just 13. Dad told stories of the new Fords coming in on
railcars on a siding behind the building.
I remember the various station architectural styles AND the giveaways. There was a beautiful Gulf Station of very modern design at Lenox Square Shopping Center in Atlanta in the late 50s, but it was torn down to make space for shopping center expansion. The concrete canopy over the station was shaped like flower petals.
I have a whole set of the insulated tumblers and the insulated server that is shaped like the "I Dream of Jeannie" bottle. There was a small nautical design on the tumblers. Exxon gave the tumblers away, but I think the jug was an extra cost item. I got my jug from a neighbor's estate. The tumblers went through our dishwashers just fine for years.
I have a whole set of the insulated tumblers and the insulated server that is shaped like the "I Dream of Jeannie" bottle. There was a small nautical design on the tumblers. Exxon gave the tumblers away, but I think the jug was an extra cost item. I got my jug from a neighbor's estate. The tumblers went through our dishwashers just fine for years.
I collect old oil company roadmaps and have a soft spot for oil company memorabilia. A quick primer....back in the early days there were two groups of companies...the Standard combine (Rockefeller) and the independents (Gulf/Sun/Phillips/Union/Marathon/etc). The Standard combine was broken up on antitrust grounds and the smaller "Standard of" were created, which had rights to the Standard name in their marketing areas. They then combined over the years (the main ones were Chevron-Standard of California; Amoco-Standard of Indiana, Kyso (Standard of Kentucky), Sohio (Standard of Ohio), Socony-Vacuum (Standard of New York-Mobil) and Standard of New Jersey (which was Esso/Exxon/Humble/Oklahoma). These companies had rights to the name Standard when related to petroleum products in their territory (so you had things like Sohio using the Boron name in states surrounding Ohio; Standard stations in the Midwest were known as Amoco stations in other parts of the country/world (there are some cool Amoco ads from Australia on Youtube). In the 60s-70s with more national media governing advertising, the "two name" function essentially became less useful, and you had companies buying and selling (Chevron bought Kyso, for instance) and renaming (So-NJ to Exxon; So-NY to Mobil). Each of the companies, though, for trademark purposes retained a single station in each of their territories/states using the Standard branding. My dad was in the petrochemical business, so I grew up paying attention to this type of thing.
