![]() (Bibliography: Benjamin Scott & Henderson Wayne. Photographs are courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection. National Register of historic places.Ī special thanks to Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher, for donating the story to the MotorCities Story of the Week program. Today, it is an example of novelty architecture and listed on the U.S. It was purchased by the city in 2007 and was rehabilitated and relocated in 2012. However, today the station is no longer in operation as a full service gas station. The unique service station continued operation as a full service gas station for many years. It is a former service station built in the shape of a teapot. ![]() This service station was built in 1922, on what later became U.S. For example, like the dome shaped teapot service station. Some service stations offered unusual design themes. The 1960's brought change within cities and towns everywhere as people used the highways more for traveling. Teapot Dome Service Station ca 1970s by Steve Pavlov For example, Linco/Marathon, Standard Oil, Phillips, Pure Texaco, Shell, Cities, Sinclair, Mobil, and Gulf were all popular service stations. Local and private brand stations operated in many cities. The mom and pop service stations along the highways which also sold groceries were being replaced with larger size super markets in most communities. Some popular service stations in the neighborhoods had become an automotive repair center which many consumers took advantage of. The early postwar years did very well as consumers headed to the new car dealerships for their transportation needs. To help with the war, many drivers used government issued gas stamps which started on May 15, 1942.This was a time where rationing and restrictions were common practice. The attendant's shirt and hat was always monogrammed with the same logo that the gasoline pumps featured along with many decorated oil cans.ĭuring the war time efforts, women and young college men worked for many of the oil companies as service attendants because of the shortage of the man power work force. During the early years of the petroleum industry, most stations were owned by oil companies and were operated by their salaried employees. However, during the 1930’s, there was a movement that took place for the operation of gasoline service stations by the major oil companies to start and to become independent dealers. In 1929, there were 121,513 filling stations in the United States. Standard Oil in Indiana would later follow this same direction as well. In 1926, Sinclair Oil opened three stations with lubrication equipment know as greasing places. 1915 also was the year that gasoline became a branded source of fuel for many motorists across the country. However, some people still relied on trains when traveling or horses and wagons which had not yet totally disappeared from the streets in certain areas of the country. In 1915, the automobile was becoming a reliable source of transportation for motorists. ![]() ![]() This station would later serve as a guide for future service stations for the rest of the country. This station was built with an off-street fueling system that many motorists thoroughly enjoyed. In 1913, the Gulf Oil Company opened the first gasoline filling station. By the year 1910, the modern underground storage with pumps and hose dispensing had been developed. As the years would continue, the first location in America where a motorist could actually have gasoline dispensed directly from a storage unit into his or her automobile goes to the Standard Oil Company of California. At the turn-of the century, consumers could purchase gasoline in a 1-gallon pre-packed container. The first specialized gasoline filling stations came into being between 19. During the early days of the automobile industry many outlets for gasoline and lubricants were not well known. The purpose for a service station is to supply the needs of the automobile and truck owners. This is a story about the early days of service stations in America and their great history from the past to present. It was a time when great customer service in our country was a high priority. The attendant would then wash the windows, check the oil, the battery, and check the tires at no additional cost. I remember the early days of the 1960's as a young kid my mother would take her 1963 Ford Falcon into many of the local Detroit area service stations and would be greeted by a service station attendant with a great smile. If you're of a certain age, like myself, you probably remember the days when the gasoline service station attendant would come out to your vehicle and ask you or your parents what type of fuel you would like for your automobile. Images: Courtesy of The National Automotive History Collection. By: Robert Tate, Automotive Historian/ Researcher
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