Rotating Gulf Sign On Top Of The Gulf Building At 712 Main St.

[northbeaumont]

I guess I'm kind of dense. Please explain.

Or should I say, "gender-insensitive" because the song said "man" who wears the star.

[tmariar]

Women who wore the star...

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Picture #5

[northbeaumont]

Women who wore the star...

Picture #1

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Picture #5

Were those the women who were called "grease gals"?

[tmariar]

I haven't heard the term "grease gals" before, so I don't know - sorry - just remembered the photos. I don't think any of the photos has a date on it (what looked like a date at first seems to be just a serial number). I was thinking they might be WWII-era fill-in workers, but maybe female gas attendants were just more common than I realized.

[northbeaumont]

I haven't heard the term "grease gals" before, so I don't know - sorry - just remembered the photos. I don't think any of the photos has a date on it (what looked like a date at first seems to be just a serial number). I was thinking they might be WWII-era fill-in workers, but maybe female gas attendants were just more common than I realized.

Like the "Rosie the Riveters" who did men jobs during WWII while the men were fighting overseas. Then when the war ended, the men came home and said to the women: "Now, get out of the shipyards and the garages, put your aprons back on and get back into the kitchens."

[FilioScotia]

"You can trust your car to the man who wears the star, the great big Texaco star." Now those lyrics would be deemed politically incorrect.

And very outdated. How long has it been since you've seen anybody of any gender you could trust your car to at a gas station?

That TV commercial used to make me laugh out loud. There they were: that singing and marching group of guys all dressed up in their spotless spiffy looking Texaco uniforms, complete with bow ties and hats, singing that dumb song. I laughed because I had never seen anyone dressed remotely like that pumping gas, changing oil or lubing a car at any gas station I'd ever been to.

[Firebird65]

One station that we stopped at often back in the 1960s sold Fire Chief for 29.9 cents a gallon, and Sky Chief for 31.9 cents a gallon.

Here's a real poser: What did a Sky Chief do?

[ChannelTwoNews]

It wasn't the Houston Club Building. The Shell Building was what is now the Magnolia Hotel at Fannin and Texas. That also helps date the picture. The new One Shell was completed in - I think - 1969. If you look at that spot in the photo, there appears to be a single crane. Were they just starting construction?

There is also partial lettering for Tenneco: TE--E--. I guess they were waiting for the other letters to arrive.

Re: Gulf. The company died but the logo and brand live on in some places. There is a Gulf station very close to where I have been working and I think there are some on the east coast as well.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up! The Houston Club buildings would be further to the left I guess. Exterior appearance kinda threw me.

I still use Gulf pretty regularly myself just due to the fact they're everywhere near where I live and travel to. If I'm not mistaken, they're HQ'd in Buffalo, NY these days.

[northbeaumont]

And very outdated. How long has it been since you've seen anybody of any gender you could trust your car to at a gas station?

That TV commercial used to make me laugh out loud. There they were: that singing and marching group of guys all dressed up in their spotless spiffy looking Texaco uniforms, complete with bow ties and hats, singing that dumb song. I laughed because I had never seen anyone dressed remotely like that pumping gas, changing oil or lubing a car at any gas station I'd ever been to.

Well, nowadays there are very few gas stations that actually work on your car. Most people just get their gas at a convenience store. As for me, not just at a gas station, but the only place that I trust with my car is Wal-Mart Supercenter when I have my oil and filter changed. Most other car servicing places are run by rip-off artists who try to talk you into paying for things that your car really doesn't need.

[57Tbird]

I also liked the early 1970s Texaco signs/logos. I have no idea why. Maybe because at that time we bought Texaco gas? As someone else was mentioning they had the Fire Chief and Sky Chief brands. I always thought being a Sky Chief would be cool.

[northbeaumont]

Yes, those are exactly how I remember the pumps. We went to a mom & pop store called Salter's Grocery. Mr. Salter would stop his work in the store, come outside with his apron on, and put gas in our car. Poor guy. His business eventually folded, because he let people have charge accounts. Naturally, most people didn't pay their bills.

[Vertigo58]

Not sure if anyone mentioned the "big green Brontosaurus" Sinclair gas? Wonder why they left Houston?

[northbeaumont]

Not sure if anyone mentioned the "big green Brontosaurus" Sinclair gas? Wonder why they left Houston?

I remember the Sinclair refinery in Port Arthur changed its name to ARCO (Atlantic Richfield COmpany). I think that the gas stations did the same thing.

[northbeaumont]

At one time many years ago, didn't Gulf have a slogan that went something like: "Look for the orange disc"?

Yes, it did. And there was another time when Gulf came up with a stupid, failed slogan which went something like this: "Gulf...the gas with guts."

Now admit it. Doesn't that sound just plain stupid? It's no wonder that it failed. It might have contributed to Gulf's demise.

[Propps]

Yes, it did. And there was another time when Gulf came up with a stupid, failed slogan which went something like this: "Gulf...the gas with guts."

Now admit it. Doesn't that sound just plain stupid? It's no wonder that it failed. It might have contributed to Gulf's demise.

I think that Gulf slogan gave way to another involving a mule and the line "The Gas with Kick". They gave away gold plated tie-tacks fashioned like two horse-shoes...there-in the "Kick". I'm not positive about the slogan, but I am about the tie-tacks, because I still have one. This slogan came about in the early to mid sixties, probably to compete with Humble Oil's "Put a Tiger in your Tank", and the accompanying tiger tails they gave at Humble gas stations, so you could hang them out of your gas door, like you had shoved a real tiger head-first down the gas pipe. Where was PETA back then? HA!

[Retama]

I think that Gulf slogan gave way to another involving a mule and the line "The Gas with Kick".

I remember that very well. I also recall that they had a pair of horseshoe stickers that were made of a kind of orange or red foam to advertise their gas.

But, for some reason, I associate the "kick" campaign with Texaco, not Gulf.

[Propps]

I remember that very well. I also recall that they had a pair of horseshoe stickers that were made of a kind of orange or red foam to advertise their gas.

But, for some reason, I associate the "kick" campaign with Texaco, not Gulf.

I think you are right. Texaco would make more sense, with the Pegasus Mascot and all.

[Mark F. Barnes]

I think you are right. Texaco would make more sense, with the Pegasus Mascot and all.

Pegasus? Don't you mean Mobil?

Spent over 30 years at Texaco, never any Pegusus'........

[57Tbird]

Pegasus? Don't you mean Mobil?

[Mark F. Barnes]

This was a Dallas Landmark for years, years ago when I would drive in from the South, you could see the winged horse from miles away.

You can barely make it out now, just a little red glow, amoungst all the skyscrapers.

[cottonmather0]

This was a Dallas Landmark for years, years ago when I would drive in from the South, you could see the winged horse from miles away.

You can barely make it out now, just a little red glow, amoungst all the skyscrapers.

My grandfather grew up in East Texas in the 1920's (he died 12 years ago), and he used to always remark how the Mobil sign was on the tallest building in Dallas back then when he was little boy driving to Dallas with his Dad for business. Now it barely registers on the skyline.

[RocTx]

I thought you might enjoy this image from texasfreeway.com. Its the construction of the 45/59 interchange downtown from around 1972, and you can clearly see the Gulf sign high in the skyline

[Disastro]

I have to ask, but what kind of lunatic would make BARN out of gigantic rotating sign?

I just never would have thought of doing that... >

[northbeaumont]

I think that Gulf slogan gave way to another involving a mule and the line "The Gas with Kick". They gave away gold plated tie-tacks fashioned like two horse-shoes...there-in the "Kick". I'm not positive about the slogan, but I am about the tie-tacks, because I still have one. This slogan came about in the early to mid sixties, probably to compete with Humble Oil's "Put a Tiger in your Tank", and the accompanying tiger tails they gave at Humble gas stations, so you could hang them out of your gas door, like you had shoved a real tiger head-first down the gas pipe. Where was PETA back then? HA!

I don't remember the mule. I do remember some full-service gas stations gave out trading stamps. But I have no knowledge of trading stamps existing anymore.

[Propps]

Pegasus? Don't you mean Mobil?

Spent over 30 years at Texaco, never any Pegusus'........

Mr. Barnes, you are absolutley correct. What was I thinking? Thanks for the correction.

[northbeaumont]

Mr. Barnes, you are absolutley correct. What was I thinking? Thanks for the correction.

I just remembered something from the old Texaco SERVICE stations. Do you remember over the bay door the words "Marfax Lubrication?" I'll never forget the Fire Chief and Sky Chief grades of gasoline, and on the side of the pump the words "Contains Lead."

Gulf was the orange disc. I remember back then Gulf had three grades of gasoline and Texaco had two. My dad refused to buy Gulf's basic grade called Gulftane because he said that it made his car run bad. He would always buy the middle grade called Good Gulf. He would never buy the premium grade called No Nox.

Back then here in Texas were ENCO stations. ESSO stations were over the border in Louisiana. Now all of them are called EXXON today. ENCO, like Gulf, sold three grades of gasoline. Do any of you personally remember ENCO/ESSO?

[ChannelTwoNews]

I found this photo on the front of an old "Houston Travelguide" map the company produced with Rand McNally. The year given was 1972, but I'm sure the photo itself could've been taken a bit earlier.

If I had any guess, this was taken from the east from the upper floors of the Great Southwest Building.

[artistpro]

Gulf sign that used to be on the Gulf building. Amazingly, the company is still in business and doing stuff that you would recognize every day like the Metro bus shelters and the Dynegy sign.

Maybe they'll appreciate a film I'll be uploading soon; it's an entire day of the Houston skyline shot in time-lapse 1971. That Gulf Oil sign is just a spinnin! Look for it in late May 2011.

[artistpro]

Anyone got a picture or postcard of our skyline when the giant Gulf sign was up? (Subdude?)

I'm trying to figure out how to post video: I have a video of the skyline with the GULF sign spinning around. THe video is one full day...static shot... in timelapse...lasts about 2.5 min. (color)

Any suggestions?

[20thStDad]

I'm trying to figure out how to post video: I have a video of the skyline with the GULF sign spinning around. THe video is one full day...static shot... in timelapse...lasts about 2.5 min. (color)

Any suggestions?

If you put it on youtube, you can display it in a post here.