Back before pay-at-the-pump and groceries at the gas station you didn't need to get out of your car when filling up the tank.
I can remember back when I was in high school and had the family car for cruising our little town I could pull into the local Texaco station and as the car rolled up to the pumps and over a hose on the ground a familiar 'ding, ding' sound could be heard that signaled the gas station attendant that he had a customer. He would come out (dressed in a uniform) and as I rolled my window down he'd ask "how much?" Usually it was one or two dollars and I could drive around all night and the nine miles back home with gas to spare. While the gas pumped he would wash my windshield, check the oil and my tires, and all with a smile and a thank you.
Long gone are catchy slogans like 'Trust Your Car To The Man Who Wears The Star' and 'Put A Tiger In Your Tank'. Iconic brand symbols like the Sinclair dinosaur, the Esso tiger, and the Texaco star have all long disappeared. Most certainly full service is a thing of the past.
On snowy or rainy days when it's pouring down and you need gas wouldn't it be nice to have a full service gas station to pull into and stay in your car while you told someone else to 'fill-er-up'!
Hubby and I were searching for a round barn I saw from the Interstate and were driving down a dirt road that was barely one lane when we came upon this little 'station' on someones property. We sat in the middle of the road while I took this photo. (Sorry for the hood of the car in the right corner.)
I'm not sure if this was an original station that was moved here or one just replicated. You can't tell from the picture but the glass in the windows is old wavy glass. The two pumps are definitely from different eras. Either way it was a pretty neat find in the middle of nowhere.
Linking to Rurality Blog Hop.
I know what you mean about the days of driving up and having someone fill your gas tank. In my local community, everyone knew each other by name and they would check your car and then put the amount on my Dad's charge ticket...those were the good old days...
ReplyDeleteI love this little "station" you came upon...who would have thought....
Adorable little station.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very neat find, Carletta! And you have such fun memories. I didn't get my driver's license until I was 21 and about to start my job as an elementary school teacher. (Yep, I cut it kind of close. Thank goodness my dad taught me to drive and loaned my money to buy a car!)
ReplyDeleteWow! That is a pretty lucky find considering it is 2013! When I was younger I still had to fill up my own tank, but it only cost $.99 a gallon! I do remember as a young child you could request "full service" at a station, though!
ReplyDeleteah, thanks for the memory. we had a sinclair station in my tiny home town. mr. anderson would come out to fill up for you as you drove over the 'ding ding' line.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and fantastic photography ~ ^_^ Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThose were the days! Loved the photo of the old gas station Carletta, and your memories.
ReplyDeleteFabulous photo -and so neat to come upon it.
ReplyDeleteThis is so adorable. I remember the ding ding and full-service stations. Fantastic find - and I'm wondering if we get to see a round barn soon, too. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat memories, Carletta. I remember the ding ding as you drove in. It was so nice to have them fill 'er up and wash the windshield.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great find. They sold Camel cigarettes there too.
This is a great find. Your description is just perfect about how these service stations worked. I also remember the slogan... Fill 'er up with ethyl.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo. I am from Oregon originally, self service in not allowed in the state. It is very nice not to have to get out of the car. When I was a child I remember my Dad asking the attendant for $5.00 if it would hold that much. That was in a very large ford from the 60's. Thank you for the memories.
ReplyDeleteThat is one great gas station find. When I was a teenager, it was the Spur station. I can hear the ding-ding now.
ReplyDeleteGreat find, I remember those days well.lol
ReplyDeleteMy father owned gas stations when they were 'service stations' and I am most familiar with "ding ding" and "put a tiger in your tank". Very!
ReplyDeleteThese are great pumps.
Oh, and boy was I spoiled by pulling up, getting my gas tank filled, oil checked, windows cleaned. No charge. Those were the days!
If that is recreated for the preservation of nostalgia, I think it's pretty cool. If I did that, and if I was able, I would add a coke machine that dispensed bottles. You could just drive up on hot day and sit on a bench there, and sip a cold, refreshing pop. Aah... That's real nice.
ReplyDeleteQuite the station! Kerosene? Now that's old! Camel cigarettes and more.
ReplyDeleteJust think, Carletta...our children have not really had the full service experience. I do miss those days. and this was a GREAT find.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun little place to find in the middle of nowhere! Someone put a lot of love into it! It's so charming. I do remember those days. Remember the Winged Pegasus signs? I would love to have one of those!
ReplyDeleteGood old days! xx
I love it! Yes, to everything you said. Even our local filling station was a Texaco and the man who owned it was so sweet. He was a sort of watchman over all the 'new' drivers coming by his station ;) Thanks so much for a great memory!
ReplyDeleteSometimes one finds that modernness isn't necessarily an improvement. Good eye for this find.
ReplyDeleteGreat find! Oregon is one of the two states where it is illegal to pump your own gas. I love that!! But we don't get the smile and the white uniform and all that even in Oregon -- but of course I remember those days!
ReplyDeletewhat a great find. It looks like you traveled through a time warp. :)
ReplyDeleteNice shot there. You are good at the photography.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a Gulf credit card that you could use also at Holiday Inns. Are there even any Gulf stations anymore?
I would absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE to go back to those times... too much technology now & even tho I have a computer, I don't like all the technology, I don't like it at all! =0
ReplyDeleteGreat find =)
LOVE this! You just sparked a memory for me. I had completely forgotten running over that hose to summon the attendant at gas stations. I remember my dad paying the guy with a card, and he would run it through that plastic thing to make a carbon copy. Aw the good old days. :)
ReplyDeleteLOVE this little station.. I remember that ding.ding too. Sometimes I wish there were still full-service stations where I didn't have to get out and pump in the wind, rain and cold... Thank you for sharing on 'Rurality Blog Hop #10!'
ReplyDelete