Construction is well under way in June of 1923 at the Wilkeson Garage in downtown Tacoma's auto row. Built of concrete and measuring 120 feet by 131 feet, it was declared the "largest of its kind on the Pacific Coast." All units of the big service station were completed by November of 1923. Built by L.E.Wilkeson, the new structure was to reflect the "department store idea for the motor car." A parking lot on top with room for 100 cars was finished in April of 1924. G18.1-089; BU14,356 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 4-29-23, C-1-article)

Wilkeson Garage & Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Located at 7th & Broadway was the big Wilkeson Garage. The 120-feet by 131-feet concrete building was the largest of its kind on the Pacific Coast. The service station added a top level for parking in April of 1924, a few months after work was completed on the rest of the structure. Wilkeson Garage carried Goodyear Tires, General Gasoline, Watson Stabilators, Wold-Wilkeson Motor Oil. G59.1-026

Wilkeson Garage & Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Scotch Bloom Service Station & General Store. An unidentified couple stand with four children under the overhanging roof of the Scotch Bloom service station and general store in late May of 1927. The location of the facility was not given. A white picket fence adjoins the service station with openings so that customers could drive in and park or have their crankcase serviced. G48.1-120

Scotch Bloom; Automobile service stations; General stores; Fences; Signs (Notices);

ca. 1931. An automobile drives down the road in front of the Bar-B-Q Inn and Kennedy's Garage, probably in Tillicum (Lakewood), circa 1931.

Bar-B-Q Inn (Lakewood); Kennedy's Garage (Lakewood); Automobile service stations--Lakewood--1930-1940; Automobiles--1930-1940;

ca. 1926. Wilkeson Service Station, exterior. Large service station and auto service facility constructed in 1923. Signs advertising: General Gasoline, Goodyear Tires, Day and Night Storage, Packard Used Cars. For Western Dri-Kure Vulcanizing Manufacturing. (filed with Argentum)

Wilkeson Garage & Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

West side of Pacific Avenue near South Seventeenth Street and Jefferson Avenue. General Petroleum Company's Depot Service Station on triangle lot, Carlton Hotel in and Commerce Street buildings in background. (Argentum)

Depot Service Station (Tacoma); Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1930-1940; Carlton Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1938. Beacon Service Station at 84th Street and South Tacoma Way. For Richfield Oil Corporation of California. (T. Times)

Beacon Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Gasoline pumps--1930-1940;

Jerry Eaton's Service Station at Sixth Avenue and J Street. L-shaped stucco building with bracketed tile false shed roofs. Man standing near pumps, four service bays, two automobiles. Mobilgas, Mobiloil, General Petroleum Company and U.S.Tire signs

Jerry Eaton's Service (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1930-1940;

George Irey's Signal service station and Tacoma Radiator and Fender Works. Service station attendant standing at three-pump gasoline service island. Building in background was later remodeled into Mueller-Harkins Buick.

Business Enterprises - Automobile Service Stations - Signal Dealers - Tacoma - George Irey's Signal Service Station

Buck & Sons was owned and operated by Parker J. Buck. They were remodeling this building, which would house their business. Buck and Sons manufactured farm machinery, sold Ford tractors, repaired tractors and sold tractor tires. View of Floyd's Service Station featuring Signal products (Also see D21760-2). TPL-6410

Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Buck & Sons Tractor & Implement Co. (Tacoma);

Picton's Garage and automobile service station; photograph taken in September of 1945 at an unknown location. A mechanic and another man check under the hood of a panel van.

Automobile service stations--Pierce County; Picton's Garage (Pierce County);

The Standard Oil gas station located at the Camp Tahoma Auto Camp cabins, 3836 South Tacoma Way. The station is glass on all four sides, with venting widows that open at the top. Camp Tahoma's cabins, owned by Frank and B.J. Winkes, offered the driving public an alternative to staying in a hotel. The auto camp was demolished around 1966 to make way for Gill Lincoln Mercury.

Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tourist camps & hostels--Tacoma; Motels--Tacoma--1940-1950; Camp Tahoma (Tacoma);

J. Thomas Standard Oil Service Station. Owned by Joseph & Loretta Thomas. Located at 27th and West Grandview in University Place. A woman is standing by the gasoline pumps and two automobiles are also shown. TPL-3399.

Automobile service stations--University Place--1940-1950; J. Thomas Standard Oil Service Station (University Place);

Standard Oil Co. started doing business in Tacoma in 1886, by shipping oil from Cleveland, Ohio to Tacoma in box and tank cars. They have grown and expanded and now have new offices and tanks on the Tideflats.View of new Standard Oil service station in Tacoma and Tahoma Motor Court on left side. TPL-3543

Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma);

General Petroleum exterior of 3 plants. Maxwell Petroleum Co. is well known for their modern gasoline outlets. View of the 910 Puyallup Ave. station, which ranks with the nation's most modern, and has been featured in newspapers and magazines as the only one of its kind in America.

Automobile service stations--Tacoma; General Petroleum Corp. (Tacoma); Maxwell Petroleum Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1944. Maxwell service station. Undated photograph, possibly in the mid-40's, of a ten-pump Maxwell service station on Puyallup Avenue in downtown Tacoma. Two vehicles are stopped at the pumps; one has its trunk open and the other is having gas pumped in by an attendant. Maxwell was known for its very modern gasoline outlets. TPL-8459

Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Maxwell Petroleum Co. (Tacoma);

J.F. Shank's Shell station at South 38th and Thompson Avenue is shown with a separate building for automobile repairs. Gasoline pumps stand in front of the sales booth where tires have been hung in the windows. A very small, square-backed vehicle is parked by the sales booth. Ordered by Shell Oil Company, Mr. Holms.

Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; J.F. Shank's Shell Station (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1940-1950; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Grand opening of the Shell Oil station at Center and Union, Earl Moon's Shell Service, 3520 Center St. Three employees service a car in the right foreground, checking under the hood and cleaning windows. Another employee gases up a car at the pumps. The Shell oil delivery truck can be seen beside the station. A paneled station wagon is at the other side of the station. The skyline of residential Tacoma can be seen in the background. Owner Earl J. Moon ran an ad in the January 25, 1951 News Tribune the grand opening of his Shell Service Station. The ad promoted Goodyear tires and batteries, Shell gas and "Shellubrication." Free balloons and candy would be available for the kids and one prize of four free tires for adults. (TNT 1-25-1951, p. 28-advertisement)

Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1950-1960; Automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Earl Moon's Shell Service (Tacoma);

Dinner awards being presented to employees, Shell Oil Co., Tideflats, Larry Hausen. Shell Oil had celebrated the opening of their new bulk petroleum terminal on the Tacoma tideflats next to the city waterway earlier in November 1949. They consolidated their two smaller plants into one housing their storage, truck fill-stand and garage with their district office, smaller storage and warehouse.

Shell Oil Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Petroleum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fuel trade--Tacoma--1940-1950; Banquets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Awards; Business people--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Gasoline was selling at 25.2-27.2 cents per gallon at Ed Lee's new Shell Oil Station at Division and Yakima. Cars were waiting in line to gas up at these prices, and receive a free set of drinking glasses. Klieg lights and banners also helped to announce the station's March 31st Grand Opening. Several Shell servicemen were waiting on each car in turn, checking under the hood and filling up the tank. The billboard to the left of the station was an advertisement for Shell Oil.

Shell Oil Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1950-1960; Searchlights; Billboards--Tacoma;

View of Shell station #982. This photograph of Shell Oil station #982 in Auburn was taken on August 2, 1950. According to the White River Historical Society, Louie's Shell Service was located at 103 Auburn Avenue, at the corner of Auburn Avenue and 1st Street N.E. Drivers in the small town could choose to gas up at either the Mobil, Louie's, or the Richfield stations on Auburn Avenue, as they were all in a row. The flat roofed building next to the large tree towards the rear of the Louie's Shell was the Auburn General Hospital.

Shell Oil Co. (Auburn); Automobile service stations--Auburn; Louie's Shell Service (Auburn);

This photograph from August of 1950 shows the west side of Tacoma Avenue South looking north from South 10th Street. Bill Leedom's Shell Service station was located on the corner, at 922 Tacoma Avenue South. In November of 1952 the voters approved the construction of a new County-City Building on this block. All the buildings on the west side of Tacoma Avenue South from South 9th to South 11th were demolished and South 10th Street was closed to traffic. The Tacoma School District's Central School can be seen further up the road at 601 South 8th Street.

Shell Oil Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Central School (Tacoma); Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Streets--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Harold's Service Station, 1202 So. 12th St., was owned by Harold W. Conger. Harold's offered their customers Mobilgas products, tires, batteries, recapping, vulcanizing and many automobile accessories. View of Harold Conger filling up an automobile with gas at his service station, photo ordered by West Marquis Incorporated, an advertising agency based out of Seattle.

Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Gasoline--Tacoma--1940-1950; Signs (Notices); Harold's Service Station (Tacoma); West Marquis, Inc. (Seattle); Conger, Harold W.;

Interior view of garage at Christiansen's Shell Service Station, located on Portland Avenue and East 98th Street; car lift, tires, repair tools, air pumps, Shell oil products, and other automobile parts in the garage; gasoline pumps can be seen through windows. Photo was ordered by Shields, Harper and Company, an industrial equipment supplier based out of Seattle, Washington.

Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Gasoline--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies; Shell Oil Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Shields, Harper & Co. (Seattle);

Grand opening celebration for the new Hemminger and Ahola Chevron service station. The corner service station sits in a residential neighborhood and features two islands, each with three gasoline pumps, auto maintenance, RPM lubrication, Atlas Tires and Batteries are all available at this site. View of balloons that were released for the grand opening and flower arrangement that were sent to the new business.

Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Gasoline--Tacoma; Atlas Tires & Batteries (Tacoma); Hemminger & Ahola Chevron Gas Station (Tacoma); Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma);

The grand opening celebration for the new Hemminger and Ahola Chevron service station was held in early December of 1947. The corner service station sits in a residential neighborhood and features two islands, each with three gasoline pumps. Auto maintenance, RPM lubrication, Atlas Tires and Batteries are all available at this site. View of balloons that were released for the grand opening.

Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Gasoline--Tacoma; Atlas Tires & Batteries (Tacoma); Hemminger & Ahola Chevron Gas Station (Tacoma); Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma);

Associated Oil Service Stations. Charlie Walker's Associated Service, station #634. Walker's Associated Service stands at the corner of 56th and Pacific Avenue. Cosmic Cleaners is next door at 5433 Pacific Avenue and Kempinsky's Bi-Rite Drugs is at 5431 Pacific Avenue. An older automobile is parked next to the station while another sits ready for filling. The two garage doors to the service area are open. TPL-1889

Associated Oil Service Stations (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Walkers Associated Service Station (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The Associated Oil Service Stations at 5525 Pacific Ave., station #634, was known as Charlie Walker's Associated Service Station in 1948 when this photograph was taken. This distinctive looking station was built in 1934 for Emil Muscek. It was designed by A. Gordon Lumm following the architectural ideas presented at the Century of Progress. Walker's Associated Service Station closed in the late '60s. TPL-1887

Associated Oil Service Stations (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Walkers Associated Service Station (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Associated Oil Service Stations, Charlie Walker's Associated Service, station #634. A side view of the service station with automobiles parked behind the station with three gasoline pumps in front. Associated Oil's distinctive "Flying A" neon sign sits over the building with windows set to form a semi-circle. Across the street can be seen Cole's Supermarket and Johnson's Repair Shop. TPL-1888

Associated Oil Service Stations (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Walkers Associated Service Station (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950;

New Shell Station at 6th and Mason, Shell Oil Co., Mr. Holm. This customer of the new Shell service station is definitely King with at least nine service attendants servicing his car. They are polishing his windshield, cleaning the headlights, cleaning out the back seat and pumping the gas. The attendants wear matching uniforms with dark jackets, light pants and white caps. The most service you would usually receive would be up to two attendants: possibly one to wash the windshield while the other pumped the gasoline.

Marty's Shell Service (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1940-1950; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;