Found these photos of the ex-wifes grandfather in his Shell Gas Station. Circa 1930 or earlier. Thought you might enjoy them.
Very cool pics, im a real fan of garages etc from yesteryear, they just seem to have more style than the same old same old we have today.
Looking at the size of the gas pump bases, I wonder if that is where the gas was stored instead of under ground?
Rodger, to answer the question, uh no on the pump storing gasoline . The pumps were Boyd Dayton's manufactured in Los Angles . They were eventually bought by Wayne Pump and Tank company who years later became Dresser -Wayne corporation. Usually, stations built in that time period would generally have had 500 gallon tanks . Some even had 800 gallon tanks . If you have any further questions , hey P- M me , I'm happy to help out ! scrubba
Love the light globes on every corner of the roof. Must have been a great time in this country when commercial and industrial buildings had this kind of attention to design and detail.
very cool to see.Interesting how customer service has changed over the years,now there is some person behind the counter who couldnt care less about the customer,and by all accounts has no idea where they are or what they are doing and then the gas companies raping everyone when they see fit....bring back the old days please!
Wow, I just picked up an old outdoor porcelain lamp with that weird angle and oblong shade..............hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Very cool pics, thanks for posting!
Hey, There was that very model of station ( minus the appron ) still standing on Anaheim Street, here in Long Beach, up till 'bout fifteen years ago, it's now a car wash. What is really incredible is that it survived the 1933 earthquake, given most of the brick buildings in the area didn't ! " Humpty Dumpty was pushed "
It's funny how I really don't like going to the gas station but I sure love the pics of the old ones. Maybe if they did something cool like an old style station it wouldn't be so annoying to go to. Thanks for posting the pics
BINGO!!! We have a winner!!! I have a pump exactly like those ... a 1912 Boyles-Dayton pre-visible. Roger Walling , to add to scrubba's comments the round base is counter-balanced (note the two chrome vertical pipes) and is risen up to enclose the pump mechanism and locked for night security. OP .... considering the age of the pumps I would bet this station is early twenties .... the visible pumps came out in the early twenties and Shell would have changed over to them about that time. I have only seen one other picture of previsibles in action ... pretty rare photo.
Cool looking station. I recall in the 60's at a Ford dealership my dad worked at that one of the service writers always wore a bow tie. All the others had regular ties. Even in the 60's it looked old school.
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