Texas Gas Station Design

[NenaE]

ftp://ftp.dot.state....s_stations_.pdf

Nice paper, pics, and diagrams of gas stations, aka service or filling stations.

http://www.dfwfreewa...ldroadmaps.aspx

note the picture of "city of tomorrow" 1972.

Edited March 18, 2011 by NenaE

[Fringe]

Fascinating history of gas stations and I loved the old road maps.

[Specwriter]

ftp://ftp.dot.state....s_stations_.pdf

Nice paper, pics, and diagrams of gas stations, aka service or filling stations.

http://www.dfwfreewa...ldroadmaps.aspx

note the picture of "city of tomorrow" 1972.

That is just too cool! My uncle pumped gas and was a mechanic at a Phllips 66 station on Canino Road that look like the one on pages 83 (lower right corner) and 90.

Thanks, NeneE.

[nm5k]

My grandfather owned two or three service stations.

His first was a Standard/Esso station, and he was with

Texaco from the 50's until the late 60's or so.

He always owned his own buildings, so I imagine his

differed a bit from the usual "company" station with an

oil company built building.

Wanna see some good old gas station pictures?

Check some of these out. Probably the best on the web.

Click on the large images for the best detail.

The search did not bring up only gas stations, but there

should be quite a few to pick out. He's got quite a few

posted on there. Some are even in color.

http://www.shorpy.com/search/node/gas+station

Edited March 21, 2011 by nm5k

[dbigtex56]

What a great topic!

Several 1920's-1930's gas stations in the Montrose area were converted to other uses.

[Dan the Man]

Many old service station buildings survive in the downtown areas of the little towns around Texas. Two nicely restored examples that come to mind are a 1930s mission style Mobil station in Gonzales, TX and a 1920s Gulf station in Fayetteville, TX.

The Gulf station building is interesting in that it is an early example of prototype commercial architecture. This design was replicated many, many times. There is another fairly well preserved example of this building on N Main St in Flatonia, TX. To give a more local example, the buildings that house Dry Creek and Shiloh Club in the Heights started life as identical Gulf stations with this design.

[Dub]

Dan's post reminded me I had these three photos.

1. Gonzales

2. Fayetteville

3. Turkey

It's always such a kick to find these old stations when out on the road.

[Earlydays]

Here is one in Jefferson

[NenaE]

I'm surprised to find so many of the 1950's oblong-style gas stations w/ canopies intact, still standing in my old neighborhood; obviously they have gone through changes, not original-looking, in the least.

But the shells are the same, found at Ahrens/ Howard Dr. & Ahrens/ Oriole Sts. (Southeast Houston) .

I know of one remnant of a 1950's or maybe early 60's style, at Westview Dr./ Witte Rd. (I-10, Beltway area).

Have only seen one ranch-style, looks like it's been recently modernized, at N. Post Oak & Memorial Dr.

I imagine the gas station toys are highly collectible. I recall Shamrock gas station promotionals, one being beverage glass sets, as well as stations w/ bonus & green stamps, in the late 1960's - 1970's, that could be saved & traded for merchandise.

[nm5k]

I know Texaco had a lot of toys. Being my grandfather had a Texaco

station, I got many of them growing up. Mainly the late 50's, early

60's era. I remember having Texaco tanker trucks that looked like Tonka

trucks. Real heavy duty. Also remember one year we got fairly big Texaco

ocean tanker ship models. They ran off batteries and had props to shove

it around the bathtub, or wherever.

Some of that stuff is probably still lurking in attics waiting for collectors.

Mine are long gone, sorry to say. I think I may have pictures of them

somewhere though.

In this area there are still a few old gas station buildings around.

But I'm talking late 50's, early 60's era stations. Not the really old ones.

Most seem to end up being auto repair shops around here.

BTW, that station in Jefferson looks like a privately owned building

kind of like the deal my grandfather had. Or at least, it doesn't look

like any company station I ever saw. Except for the rock siding, it's

kind of like the one my grandfather had with that awning.

Which looked like this in late 60's. He didn't have a garage per say.

But there was a grease rack on the side of the building.

He changed the oil and greased cars outside. You don't that much these

days. He had a regular modern lift, but it was outside. I think he

cut the air off and locked the control handle at night so people couldn't

mess with it. :/

Anyway, he owned that building and Texaco gave him all the stuff

to dress it up into a Texaco station. Like the signs, little Texaco stars

for the building, etc.. Also.. much of the wood trim was painted Texaco

green.

[dbigtex56]

I know Texaco had a lot of toys. Being my grandfather had a Texaco

station, I got many of them growing up. Mainly the late 50's, early

60's era. I remember having Texaco tanker trucks that looked like Tonka

trucks. Real heavy duty. Also remember one year we got fairly big Texaco

ocean tanker ship models. They ran off batteries and had props to shove

it around the bathtub, or wherever.

Some of that stuff is probably still lurking in attics waiting for collectors.

Mine are long gone, sorry to say. I think I may have pictures of them

somewhere though.

In this area there are still a few old gas station buildings around.

But I'm talking late 50's, early 60's era stations. Not the really old ones.

Most seem to end up being auto repair shops around here.

BTW, that station in Jefferson looks like a privately owned building

kind of like the deal my grandfather had. Or at least, it doesn't look

like any company station I ever saw. Except for the rock siding, it's

kind of like the one my grandfather had with that awning.

Which looked like this in late 60's. He didn't have a garage per say.

But there was a grease rack on the side of the building.

He changed the oil and greased cars outside. You don't that much these

days. He had a regular modern lift, but it was outside. I think he

cut the air off and locked the control handle at night so people couldn't

mess with it. :/

Anyway, he owned that building and Texaco gave him all the stuff

to dress it up into a Texaco station. Like the signs, little Texaco stars

for the building, etc.. Also.. much of the wood trim was painted Texaco

green.

Thanks for your recollections.

I'm curious about the picture - is that car a Nash Rambler?

[NenaE]

I was thinking the same thing...what kind of car is that, in the b/w picture?

In the 1960's, my great-uncle ran a small Skelly gas station, in the small east Texas RR and lumber town of Corrigan. Hwy 59 runs right through it.

We had a lot of fun visiting that place in the summertime. He had a minnow tank (sold bait, lake nearby) and old coke machine, with the bottles that pulled out.

That station had personality, looks like from GoogleEarth search, it has been replaced by a generic self-serve one.

It was probably a very old gas station, the aerial maps don't go back very far, for that area, for me to tell.

Skelly Oil: http://www.oldgas.com/shoptalk/ubb/Forum4/HTML/001453.html

Edited March 25, 2011 by NenaE

[Earlydays]

I'm curious about the picture - is that car a Nash Rambler?

It's a French Peugeot 403

[dbigtex56]

It's a French Peugeot 403

Thanks!