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.
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;
250 feet of property on South Tacoma Way. A Dairy Queen is on the left. Serve UR Self Gas Station and George Dayton Auto Parts are further along South Tacoma Way on the right. Ordered by Queen Petroleum Company. Queen Petroleum Company was owned by F.H. and Paul Lucien, E.W. Bittner and A.J. Brenninger.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Queen Petroleum Co. (Tacoma); George's Car Market (Tacoma); Automobile repair--Tacoma; Drive-in restaurants--Tacoma; Dairy Queen (Tacoma); Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960;
In September of 1955, three tow trucks and their drivers stand at the ready in front of Del's Service and Repair at 711 Tacoma Ave So. Del's was owned by Delbert Heim who took over Art's Auto Repair around 1953 and changed the name. The garage specialized in brake repair, and towing was available 24 hours a day. The building was originally constructed in 1929 for a cost of $38,000. The site includes the Washington Grocery (to the left) at 707 Tacoma Ave So. The same builder, Oscar Volk, built the 85 unit brick Washington Apartments to the left of the photograph at 7th and Tacoma Ave So. (actual address 518 So. 7th St.). Del moved his business to 224 St. Helens Ave. in the late 1950s.
Del's Service & Repair (Tacoma); Automobile repair--Tacoma--1950-1960; Wreckers (Vehicles);
Exterior of new service station, Friendly Franks Serv-Ur-Self, ordered by Fletcher Oil Co. The station is offering free gas for its Grand Opening Friday & Saturday. The brand of the gasoline is Veltex. Uncommon in the fifties, the self service station kept prices low by offering no attendants to pump gas.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Exterior of new service station, Friendly Franks Serv-Ur-Self, ordered by Fletcher Oil Co. The station is offering free gas for its Grand Opening Friday & Saturday. The brand of the gasoline is Veltex. The larger building at the rear was most probably the automotive shop. The smaller unit in the center of the pumps most probably held a cashier. Flag streamers flap in the air to call attention to the Grand Opening. Not yet a common sight in the fifties, self service stations were making their mark by offering lower prices.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma--1950-1960;
This is the Valley Forge Service Station as viewed in September of 1945. It was located in Fife, at the SW corner of the intersection of Hwy 99 and 54th Ave., directly east of Andre's Market and across the highway from the Poodle Dog restaurant. The service station offered Standard Oil products and did automobile repairs. Its owners were Henry and Francis Hubbert. The service station was destroyed by fire circa 1948 or 1949. After the fire the service station at the NE corner of the intersection became known as the Valley Forge once the Hubbert's station was no longer in existence. Frank and Richard Spear and another unidentified person would manage the new Valley Forge. (Additional information provided by a reader).
Automobile service stations--Fife--1940-1950; Valley Forge Service Station (Fife);
The One-Stop Market, which also had gasoline pumps, was photographed in September of 1945. The owners' names are printed on the building, Williams and Schrader, but the address is unknown. Signs for Coca-Cola and 7up ("It Likes You") adorn the roof of the covered pumping area.
Automobile service stations--Pierce County--1940-1950; One Stop Market (Pierce County);
The One-Stop Market, which also had gasoline pumps, was photographed in September of 1945. The owners' names are printed on the building, Williams and Schrader, but the address is unknown. Signs for Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola adorn the roof of the covered pumping area.
Automobile service stations--Pierce County--1940-1950; One Stop Market (Pierce County);
A Standard Oil service station, location unknown. The pumping station in the front has three gasoline pumps available. The ground around the station is covered with gravel, not pavement. This is the same station as image #70.
Automobile service stations--Pierce County; Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma);
The Standard Oil gas station located at the Camp Tahoma Auto Camp cabins, 3836 South Tacoma Way. Located next to the cabins was Interstate Motor Sales at 3826 South Tacoma Way. The sign in the background over the auto sale building is for Ace Furnace and Steel at 3740 So. Union.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tourist camps & hostels--Tacoma; Motels--Tacoma--1940-1950; Camp Tahoma (Tacoma); Interstate Motor Sales (Tacoma);
Washburn's Service Station, 3402 Pacific Ave. The mission style station was built in 1924 by William F. Washburn. Mr. Washburn and his wife Genevieve lived nearby at 224 So. 34th, which they purchased around 1920.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washburn's Service Station (Tacoma);
J. Thomas Standard Oil Service Station, photographed in November of 1945. Owned by Joseph & Loretta Thomas. Located at 27th and West Grandview in University Place.
Automobile service stations--University Place--1940-1950; J. Thomas Standard Oil Service Station (University Place);
In 1945, Daley's Garage occupied part of the ground floor of 1411-17 Pacific Ave, the home of the Schoenfeld annex and Bargain Loft. Schoenfelds had expanded into this site around 1940. Daley's Garage, owned by John J and John M Daley, offered the consumer a place to park and also gas up. The actual street address for the garage was 1415 Pacific Ave.
Standard Oil service stations - Steilacoom Garage, for Mr. Evans. This side view of the garage shows the doors open, cars parked in the front by the gasoline pumps and a tow truck and one other truck parked along the side. This service station was built and owned by George Kuper. Later the station was bought from Mr. Kuper by Edward "Whitey" Faulk. TPL-5737b
Automobile Service Stations--Steilacoom--1940-1950; Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma); Steilacoom Garage (Steilacoom);
Richfield Oil Corp. Richfield Service Station. A car is up on a hoist. One attendant is lubricating a rear wheel, one is checking on the oil drain and one is getting equipment.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Richfield Oil Corp. (Tacoma);
General Petroleum exterior of 3 plants. In January 1944 General Petroleum Corp. and Maxwell Petroleum Co. merged, becoming the exclusive distributor, in this region, of Mobil products. Exterior view of Maxwell Station No. 43.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma; General Petroleum Corp. (Tacoma); Maxwell Petroleum Co. (Tacoma);
General Petroleum exterior of 3 plants. Maxwell Petroleum Co has been in Tacoma for just eight years, and since then it has become the largest independent wholesaler and retailer of petroleum products in the State of Washington. The recent merger with General Petroleum Corp. will make them one of the largest gasoline distributors in the United States. Exterior view of a Maxwell station.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma; General Petroleum Corp. (Tacoma); Maxwell Petroleum Co. (Tacoma);
