One of the things that I found fascinating on our Rt66 tour this summers were the number of restored and repurposed gas stations. I thought I might share some here and invite others to post pics of their favorite old gas stations and garages.
First up, Hackberry General Store - we found this on our first day west out of Santa Fe.
Next is from Shamrock TX - the beautifully restored Conoco station those familiar with the Cars movie will recognize the tower
last for this post is this station in a small Pennsylvania town along the Lincoln Highway. The entire outside including signs and trim are all rendered in ceramic tile.
Gary's Gay Parita is an old station and garage (stone building) in Little Paris that has become a popular stop on 66. He has a facility out back to host functions for organizations and the place is knee deep in memorabilia covering a few acres;
"Live Aboves" were a great design in remote spots, with a store and gas below and the house above, the owner could easily keep tabs on a late night customer or ne'er-do-wells at his pumps after hours with the bedroom right above the pumps... Caught a second set up like this but more elaborate along the Susquehanna River while headed to Carlisle
Gearhead Curios on 66 gave new life to this station. The owner was really into it (check out the cars) and inside he made all the facilities and fixtures out of salvaged car parts! look close - I especially liked the radiator frame mirror over the "sink".
This is not an antique, but I have to pay homage to this landmark on Rt66 Pops isn't that old, but it sure conveys the spirit of 66. It sells pop - soda - carbonated drinks of every flavor and from all over the US and around the world. It has a cafe and three gas pump islands covered by an IMMENSE cantilevered cover. It has a 30 foot tall neon pop bottle out front. What could be more quintessential Rt66???
This one is particularly near and dear to me. My Dad was a navy pilot in WWII, he met and married my Mom when they met at the Mare Island Navy base in CA where she was an enlisted WAVE nurse at the hospital there. When they got home they enrolled in college in the GI Bill and my dad got degrees in Math and Chemistry and a teaching certificate. His first job out of school was as a high school math and chemistry teacher in Normal, Ill. Normal is named after the state teachers college in that town (known then as a 'normal school'). On 66 in Normal is perhaps the most palatial service station that I have never seen. It now houses the town visitor's bureau and stores. And yes, it's another Live Above!
This Standard station, in Port Huron, Michigan, has been re-purposed. These pictures were taken about 6 weeks ago.
This Shell station is in Utica, MI. I'm not sure if it was actually a functioning station or not, but there is a bunch of neat old stuff inside.
This next picture is of my grandfather in front of "his" Shell Station (on Gratiot Avenue in Detroit, Michigan) with his best buddy Marv (Marv has the glowing stomach (flash bulb from taking a picture of a picture by my mother)). My grandfather helped design "his" station and was the proprietor of that Shell station for 45 years.
