Ghostly Gas Stations

[TG57Roadmaster]

Okay, you're driving your DreamMobile down the road, it's a beautiful day, and you pass one of these old <span style="font-style: italic">Sentinels of Service</span>, a "retired" gas station. "Wonder what brand it sold, you ask yourself or your travelling companion(s)?" If you've brought along your Kodak, you might even turn around and get a snapshot.

'Cause, chances are, it may not be there on your next trip through.

These vestiges of Vanishing America are going away faster than the price of ethyl is going up. The reasons are many: We need another Quickie Mart/CVS/"Touchless" Car Wash; new zoning regs demand these structures <span style="font-style: italic">Must Come Down</span>; 'cause they're an eyesore; and so on...

The long-abandoned vision above greeted us on a return from Charleston, SC, after a BCA Carolina Chapter Show at Sentry Buick. Taken around 1993, I'll lay odds this haunting image is no longer around. Luckily, many (especially the ones in towns) have been given a new lease on life as Antique Shops, Hair Salons, Florists, you name it. We see them all the time, too, and really should thank the owners for their preservation efforts.

The Texas DOT made a study of their historic gas stations, and published a very handy Field Guide to help while you're out on the road. It's a decade-by-decade, (major) company-by-company, treasure trove of information, one that you should add to your travelling library ASAP. It's loaded with station styles, nomenclature, design elements, diagrams, a great glossary, and an even better bibliography. There's also a section on listing these Historic Structures on the National Register.

Best of all, it's FREE!

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=8d1879ea4db6639656bbe1af129db4fc&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.garagejournal.com%2Fforum%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D142209&v=1&libid=1364049186505&out=http%3A%2F%2Fftp.dot.state.tx.us%2Fpub%2Ftxdot-info%2Flibrary%2Fpubs%2Fbus%2Fenv%2Ffieldguide_gas_stations_.pdf&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dfield%2520guide%2520to%2520gas%2520stations%2520in%2520texas%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D2%26ved%3D0CDQQFjAB%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.garagejournal.com%252Fforum%252Fshowthread.php%253Ft%253D142209%26ei%3DGL1NUY3FN83K0AGO2IBI%26usg%3DAFQjCNGj1gCVIzbirkhILyH9TWr6P9jqYQ%26bvm%3Dbv.44158598%2Cd.dmQ&title=Field%20guide%20to%20gas%20stations%20in%20Texas%20-%20The%20Garage%20Journal%20Board&txt=http%3A%2F%2Fftp.dot.state.tx.us%2Fpub%2Ftxdot..._stations_.pdf&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13640491915862

Happy Motoring,

TG

Edited March 23, 2013 by TG57Roadmaster (see edit history)

[West Peterson]

I did a double take on your photo. At first, I thought it was one of those paintings done by one of several automotive artists. It's unreal looking, and amazing at how complete the station still is.

I found this one on the Dixie Highway on my way through South Carolina a couple of years ago. Unfortunately it was raining most of the way, as there were a LOT of really neat salvage yards along the road as well.

[TG57Roadmaster]

<span style="font-style: italic">Priorities</span> West, <span style="font-weight: bold">priorities!</span>

TG

What a <span style="font-weight: bold">great</span> shot of your own!

(This one, formerly Pure Oil, will live on in Hartwell, GA (on the Dixie Trail),

as a Visitor's Center. Note the CVS strip mall going up behind it.)

[West Peterson]

The problem would have been that I'm sure I could have found something to drag home with me. So the rain probably saved me from having to live in the back seat of my Packard for a while. (I know, I know, get out the violin <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)

[Shop Rat]

I don't have a photo of it, maybe my Dad (age 90) does, but his father ran a gas station in Harrisville, W. Va. many years ago. Dad remembers pumping the gas up into the glass cylinder for it to drain into the gas tanks of cars.

Dad always also told us that his dad had cement poured at the station for the cars to drive in and out on. And that it was the first cement poured in W. Va., that prior to that it was only used in construction to hold brick/block together.

[Guest AlK]

To bad the people that own these old structures can only think to tear them down and put up the gobble, choke and puke stand on the land. Some of these would make neat club house for AACA regions looking to hold their meetings some where.

[TG57Roadmaster]

You're right; in the case of where I live, The City of Anderson, SC, they were going to pull down two old gas stations to make way for a parking lot for a planned $6 million Municipal Center. They'd bought the properties, were ready to start demo, when I got a call from the AACA Hornets Nest office in Charlotte. The widow of the owner of the Texaco station, a porcelain-enamel Streamline Moderne beauty built in 1957, had called up there to let them know about some parts she had, pretty much at giveaway prices.

These buildings are like big Erector Sets, and arrived in semi-trailers to be put up. I stopped by to look at Mrs. Drake's parts and graciously declined; I wasn't interested in the parts, but as I looked around the empty box that had been a part of Anderson's history since 1930, a light bulb went off.

Knowing what folks shell out for signs, gas pumps, etc., I approached the city with a deal. Sell the station on ebay, make a little money, save the landfill, and let the building live on, just not on its original site. This 1957 model was the third version of a Texaco station located there.

The city "bit," I ran the auction, and 49 bids later it sold for $3,552.00, to a car guy (ACD Club) whose son came, dismantled it & carried it away in a semi-trailer truck. The plans for its future life call for its transformation into a Deli/Burger Joint, with an automobilia/petroliana theme.

I'd told them to expect some publicity, but had no idea how hot the concept was till we fielded a call from the A.P. Newswire. Talk about a home-run! Similar stations have been sold that way before, just not by a municipality. In this one instance it shows what can happen when you think

<span style="font-weight: bold">"Inside the Box"</span>

TG

(It came with a site blueprint for the first 1930 bldg., pix of the 1940 initial streamline 2-bayer,

and a complete set of blueprints (typicals) for the 1957 renovation into a 3-bayer!)

[West Peterson]

Wow! My first job in high school as a petroleum transfer engineer was in a Texaco station JUST LIKE THAT. What a nostalgia trip! Good job... good idea.

[TG57Roadmaster]

You always did go for those important jobs with "big names & cachet." <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

TG

Former International News Media Distributor.

[trimacar]

Hi- great picture, if you want to hear a good song about a "boarded up station on Route 23", listen to and watch Chatham County Line, singing Route 23, at this address: http://www.chathamcountyline.com/Videos%20MP-4/Route23MoviePage.html By the way, the lead singer is my nephew! Happy Motoring (Pierce, preferably!) David Coco

[Dosmo]

On Old 25W in Knoxville, TN, rests the remains of the Airplane Filling Station. Built in 1930, at one time there was a little fried chicken stand next to it and they sold Schlitz beer in there to wash it down with. Sometime in late 50s-early 60s, it became a used car lot, then closed for good 25-30 years ago. The station is now on the historic register and has received a federal grant to be restored. Click on the link below to check it all out.

http://www.powellairplane.org/index.html

[Pontiac59]

There's a gas station near the Cornell University campus in Ithaca New York that looks like someone lopped the top off from a set of castle towers and plopped it down as a gas station. It was still in business the last time I drove by - it's on either NY-366 or NY-79. I'd post a photo but the day I photographed it I had slide film in the camera.

The other neat one that is now gone was up the road in Dryden - it was a two story brick building built as a gas station and garage. It was on a corner. Garage stalls originally were on each road in an L-shape, from the west set of stalls the front wall angled over at 45' to the other side of the L, which stuck out some ways. This is where the pump island was, and the second story was built out over the top of the pump island. Upstairs was a Masonic Temple, going by the cast-in logo over the door to the upstairs. I've never seen anything else like it - unfortunately I'm not sure what happened to the prints I took some 20 years ago when it still stood.

I do have photos of a closed station in Utica that isn't really that old, but is interesting because the lot was divided by a railroad line. Not far up the road from there is a tire dealer, one of their buildings is pretty clearly a former gas station - added on to, looks like the original building was about 25'x10" wood frame with a large window on each side of the door, peaked roof, similar to one of the HO scale model kits available for the model railroad crowd.

There are a lot of other former gas stations around if you know where to look, of all sorts of vintages. My friend has been trying to get a small building from one that is little enough to bring home on his rollback car hauler. The best bet to find them is to travel a two lane state or US route that has since been replaced by an interstate.

[West Peterson]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">On Old 25W in Knoxville, TN, rests the remains of the Airplane Filling Station. Built in 1930, at one time there was a little fried chicken stand next to it and they sold Schlitz beer in there to wash it down with. http://www.powellairplane.org/index.html </div></div>

...and remember, when you're out of beer, tough Schlitz! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Here's a Gulf station that the AACA Glidden Tour visited in 2005. It's in Bedford, Pennsylvania.

[Restorer32]

About 15 years ago I had an employee who had a girlfriend whose Father had been a Regional Manager with Sinclair, as I remember. In her possession was a shoe box containing a photo of what I became convinced was every gas station, no matter how small and no matter the brand they were pedalling, that was operating in York County, PA in about 1958 or so. Fascinating! I tried to buy the box or even buy permission to make copies but no luck. Both the employee and the girlfriend with her box have long since moved on. Too bad.

[stock_steve]

Here's (see Attachment) a neat place that a friend of mine photographed in August 2004, reportedly located in Washington, NJ.

[Centurion]

Here are a couple of favorites I've seen here in the Pacific Northwest. Okay, these don't quite fall under the "Ghost Gas Station" classification, but they're fun anyway. This first one, the famous "Teapot Dome" station in Zillah, Washington is evidently closed at the present time. I'll check it out again when I pass through there on a trip to Oregon in May.

And, of course, there's "Bomber Gas" near Portland, Oregon, which I believe has been converted to a drive-in restaurant.

[JFranklin]

My wife makes birdhouses and bird gas stations, here is one of her creations

[TG57Roadmaster]

Thanks JF,

Your wife's talents are obvious! I strongly suggest she download the Texas DOT pdf document noted at the top of this thread and take a gander (pun intended) at some of the styles of stations shown.

I think her sales would soar skyward, much like our little friends for which she's making lovely homes.

The roof shingles are an especially nice touch and bring to mind, "Jonesy's Standard Oil" station in LaFayette, IN, that my buddy Dave & I encountered on our way back from my folk's house in Michigan. My late mother <span style="font-style: italic">lived</span> for the birdies that visited her home in the Upper Peninsula of the "Wolverine State."

TG

Would that I could fill up with "Ethyl" at 27.9 a gallon!

[JFranklin]

Ok I'll post a better view

[TG57Roadmaster]

Soooo cute, does she work the local crafts shows or what?

TG

[Guest De Soto Frank]

Have seen that Gulf Station, West !

It's a beaut !

(Those glazed terra-cotta tile buildings don't hold-up so well here where freezing weather happens... the performing arts center I work for - F.M. Kirby Center, in Wilkes-Barre, is a glazed terra-cotta structure that was suffering serious weathering problems.)

We have some neat old filling-station bldgs around NE Penna; I'll have to get around with the camera before they too get razed to make way for a new Subway...

<img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

[Shop Rat]

You should post some photos of her work on the Buy/Sell Forum. I bet she could sell quite a few of those over there.

My mom was a very talented tole painter. She even had two tole painted eggs displayed at the White House in 1987 during the Easter Egg roll on the White House Lawn. Her career in tole painting got started very humbly when I sold jars with tole painted lids for her at the phone company where I worked. People bought them as gifts for others, they put things like home made candy in them. From there it just grew.

Your wife does a VERY nice job on the bird houses.

[JFranklin]

Thats a good story, my wife makes these for friends and club members, she worked as a commercial artist and this is just a hoby I will attach a Shell station this time

[TG57Roadmaster]

Centurion,

We know we love Big ol' Buicks, but this image still defies all logic. My beloved <span style="font-style: italic">Roadmistress</span> never seemed so small as captured here at a station in Wilmington, NC, on an AACA Hornets Nest (Charlotte) Region "Victory Tour." These 3-night, 4-day tours are held about a month after each Sring & Fall AutoFair at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

No Photoshop, no nothin', just my car on a sunny day.

TG

They didn't call the Roadmaster the "Flagship" for nothin'!

[MCHinson]

Alright, I realize that I have not had time to go take any photos in the past few days, but now you are taking all of my shots.... <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The first attachment you posted looks very much like an abandoned station here in Wilmington at 12th and Market Street. Now, you have gone and posted a photo of Hughes Brothers which is located at 11th and Market Street. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The abandoned building at 12th and Market is about to get a new life as an office building for a tugboat company and they are planning on restoring it to its original exterior apperance and even putting a reproduction gas pump in front.

Hughes Brothers has been a Firestone Dealer here in Wilmington since Mr. Firestone ran the company. A friend of mine owns the business and he is one of the sponsors of our local chapter show every year. At one time, long before I was born, I am relatively sure that they sold gasoline as well, but they are still operating as a multi line tire business and all around garage today. They do most of my mechanic work that I decide not to do myself. It's a great business and a really neat building.

I was planning on getting a photo of both and adding it to this thread, but I guess now, I don't need to. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[TG57Roadmaster]

Hey Mac,

I fell in love with Hughes Bros., because it's just so darned <span style="font-weight: bold">huge</span>! The scale is phenomenal and swallowed up the <span style="font-style: italic">Roadmistress</span> like some whale munching on krill. How cool that it's still in "service" after all these years. When you get a chance, take a shot of the opener so we can see what it looks like now...mine's about 10 years old. I thought it was inland a bit, but the old memory's not what it used to be.

Wilmington is full of treasures; how's the movie biz? They're shooting a Clooney/Zellweger flic here in a matter of days, and I've already volunteered to be George's stand-in for lighting and so forth. I've got the hair, but he's got the looks! Miss Renee's not chopped liver, either.

We're waiting for you to yell, <span style="font-weight: bold">"Action"</span> on the joint at 12th & Market!

TG

Was'sup with the former bus station?

[MCHinson]

Attached you will find a photo that I took today of the old station at 12th and Market. It has been gutted and they are preparing to do the restoration soon. It is either a curent photo of the same one that you attached to your first post, or else it is an identically designed and built structure. If it is the same one, the large tree that is behind the right rear corner of the station in your photo was cut down several years ago.

[MCHinson]

Reading this thread has gotten me interested in old gasoline stations, so I spent some time today searching them out.

Regarding the old bus station.... I have lived in Wilmington for 23 years, so I had to ask a Wilmington Native about the old bus station. I learned that it was on the Southwest corner of 2nd and Walnut Streets. Unfortunately, that corner has been a parking lot since sometime before I moved here. Even though I can't show you that, Ironically, just three blocks away, at 5th Avenue and Walnut Street, I found an old gas station, that several years ago, was used as a bus station in a movie. I don't remember the name of the movie, but it was set in the late 30's or early 40's. Attached is current photo of what is left of that old gas station.

[MCHinson]

With a quick check, I located about 30 old gas stations in Wilmington today. Most of them seem to now be used as used car sales lots or garages. Some of the more original new uses are a pizza delivery outfit, an art shop, a tattoo parlor, and a consignment shop. The attached photo is probably my favorite. It is probably one of the older ones still in use here in town. It appears to be in good shape, is a really neat design, and has served several businesses over the years. I know of a bunch of others on backroads throught southeastern NC, many of them are more "ghostly" than those here in town.

[MCHinson]

Here is another view of Hughes Brothers. The semi-trailer is used to store and transport old tires to the recapper. It gives you a pretty good perspective of the size of the building.

[Guest De Soto Frank]

This looks like an old Gulf station... there is one in similar style in Luzerne, PA, just off Pa Rte 309.

[TG57Roadmaster]

You're right, there's nothing subtle about Hughes Bros. It must have catered to truckers and such, there's really no other explanation for the immense scale of the place. I hope you've let them know about all the "publicity" we're giving them.

Maybe they'll give you a discount on the next set of tires for your Explorer! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

TG

[MCHinson]

<img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> I don't own an explorer... but I get the joke <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

I'll see if I can't get a copy of some vintage photos of Hughes Brothers. As I recall, some of the photos that I have seen just show Model A Fords there. I don't think I have seen any photos of vintage semi-trailers there. I don't understand why it was built in that scale. I'll see if the owner can give me any insight into it. (It's about time to take a show sponsor form to him anyway.)

Attached is another local former gas station. This one is within a block of my favorite one and the two are certainly a study in contrast between their original use and their current uses.

[ncgirl05]

We found a couple to share. First one (attached here) is located in Williamsburg, OH and used to be on the "main drag" before another road took its' place...

[ncgirl05]

The second one we found was in Russellville, OH. I believe it is now just a garage of sorts...lots of old car parts and pieces lying around the area.....

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

here's one for ya Tom

[TG57Roadmaster]

Thanks Lamar,

It reminds me that I have that ad, buried somewhere in the "stacks." A few personal observations: first, I <span style="font-style: italic">never</span> wear a scarf, even with all the windows down at highway speeds; second, I wouldn't <span style="font-style: italic">dream</span> of marring the beauty of the Roadmistress's derriere with a gauche Continental Kit; and third, I never, <span style="font-style: italic">ever</span> put my cat Jordan (named for the Playboy Model, not the hoops star) on a leash...he wouldn't stand for it! And finally, about the closest I ever come to "doing drag" is when I get all gussied up as my alter-ego, "The Turnpike Cruiser, DeLuxe."

TG

Fully-optioned with bright & dim headlights, "Twin Tower" taillights, and bling from a '58 Turnpike Cruiser & '40 Ford DeLuxe. Chicken wire, coat hangers, flashlights, mylar and assorted Radio Shack electricals. Assembled 1982, consistent Prize ($$$$) and Trophy Winner. Photo taken at '93 BCA National, Atlanta.

[MCHinson]

TG57Roadmaster,

I finally got by to see the owner of Hughes Brothers. The current building (their second) was built in 1935. The business included gasoline sales until 1980. According to the owner, in 1935 there were no vehicle height restrictions in North Carolina. The canopy was built that size so that they could get any and every car, truck, and trailer, including any load, under the canopy. He was amused that his building had attracted internet attention here. He also is sponsoring our local chapter car show again this year.

[Dave@Moon]

If there's anyone in Pittsburgh with a digital camera, underneath/nearby the Route 65 overpass on Chateau St. near Western State Penitentary one of the original one-bay Gulf stations circa 1910 still stands (I think). It was one of a series that was built at that time that I've been told several times was the first standardized facility to sell gas and repair work. When I was last there about 10 years ago it was being used as a storage facility for a construction firm.

The intricate alternating hue orange brickwork is remarkable for such a small building!

[Dave@Moon]

I've passed by this station in Bedford PA a few times, again not for about 10-15 years. Does anyone know if it's still around?

Bedford, PA Gulf station