Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Rainbow Station in Spokane Washington

Just thought I would share a picture I received from a guy I work with.
This was his dad's station from sometime in the 40's and into the 60's.
He worked there during his teenage years and had many good memories.
It was located in downtown Spokane, WA.

He is looking for more pictures but this was the only photo he could find at this time.

Jerry
Do you know where it was at in Spokane?
Thanks

I will find out and let you know

Did you ever find out or any other pictures?

That almost looks like Sprague Ave....just a guess.

Dont see any prostituts. I dont know!!!

Ok, then.....

Your cracking me up! All the NASTYS have moved here since then and have taken over the town opening up a big can of UGLY here. It's a problem for us single guys and it makes the pretty ones way to choosy for me to be picked so I am still alone,, ha ha ha
Ok that's not true because Spokane has always been known for it's prostitutes to some degree. It's a town that has been crooked to it's core since it was began.

It looks like a Sears off to the left of the station. Where were the Sears stores located I wonder?

LEFT?

behind and to the left or behind and to the right as we are looking at the pic.

Or to the left when looking in a mirror-Dave you're going in circles. It is a Sears all righty!

I just got off the phone with a guy who's grandpa worked for Rainbow corp. in Spokane during the 50-60s. His mom rode on the delivery truck with his grandpa and she was naming off locations, in the background, that she still believes the buildings are there, so, next time I'm in Spokane ya know where I'm headed.
She thinks the lighted signs were used from the late 50s thru to the 60s when they were bought out by Husky.
I really like it when 1 item brings in multiple calls or people with great, old, first hand information on a gas company like this!

Don't think Husky ever bought out Trues Oil Co.
I'll let Bob fill in the blanks.

Ok, I should've put a question mark after the word "Husky" instead of a period, my bad. ,,and I need to do some more research to get it right.

I don't know how many "blanks" I will be able to fill?

First some background, so please bear with me as I "set up the answer"...

"huskybob", a few months ago sent me 2 magazines written for those interested in the Spokane Area. The magazines are named; "Nostalgia"... One of the Issues, is dated Nov. 2002 and the other is dated Nov '05...

Now I've "bugged" Bob about the History of "Older" Car Dealerships, Gas Stations and Garages.. In his "portion" of the State of Washington, for the last few years ... I figured that is why he sent the "up to date" magazines... LOL

Well of course, I started skimming through the 2 magazines... And then a "Headline" caught my eye... "The "True" Story of the First Fifty Years"... Well who wouldn't want to read more?

The "Story" was a "First Hand" account of "The True Oil Company" of Spokane Washington from 1900 to 1950... In the article is an artist's rendition of True's first Gas Station via 1907...

In the '05 Issue of Nostalgia, is two separate; "First Hand" accounts, entitled: "Rainbow Gasoline: A True Oil Company Station"...

One tells of a Rainbow Gas Station at the SW corner of Monroe and Sinto... The Author of the "story" remembers the station being there from 1954 to 1966 (at which time the Station was a Carter Station) Later the Station, did become a Husky Station... As of '05 the station was still standing... But, it was not a "working Station"...

The other account, tells of the True Oil Company Headqtrs being on Hamilton Street not far from Trent (if the Author remembered correctly)... And about a Station that was on West Broadway Avenue, between Ash and Oak Streets... The Author worked at this Station in the Fall of 1941... He states that the Station had 2 pumps. One a "modern" computer for "Regular" and a visible, that dispensed Ethyl.

Here is the artist's rendition of the "True Oil Gas Station in Spokane WA" via 1907:



1950s Rainbow Gas Station at "Monroe and Sinto":





I don't know if I filled in any "blanks" but, it was great to go back and re-read the articles, again!

From my uncle who has lived in Spokane all his life -

The station in the picture is on Monroe Street by the bridge, that's Sears behind it and off of to left is Montgomery Wards which is now Spokane City Hall

Looks like the Spokane public library was built on the site of that station--I just google visited it!

Thank you Bobs!
That last pic shows me the next neon sign I want to find!!

Dave according to Bob's story, rainbow became carter of which you have 2 signs which then went husky. So you Carter signs have more in common with Rainbow and not Esso? that should pique people's interest in the carter stuff!

Thank you to you and your Uncle for passing on that info on the location in the picture.
I'm going to put together a couple of stops for me to do for a Rainbow field trip to Spokane and I will take good pics to post.
I sold the worse cond. Carter and then I saw it on ebay for $600 buy it now/offer. He still has it and I still have the better condition sign that I might be keeping with this.?? I think that the Carter sign would look great on the side of my Shoppe with the license plates and writing.
I need to do the research to tie all these together.

This is not the same place. Just something I found. Thought is was neat with the same name. It says Jerry's Rainbow Texaco Kalispell Montana

Just because a station gets rebranded to a different oil company doesn't necessarily mean that the previous oil company was bought out by the new one.

My source (Jon Roma's road map website) states that True's Rainbow was sold to Standard of Indiana in 1959.

Maps more or less has it correct . I sent Bob some info a while back stating the very same facts . As far as I can tell, the refinery in Washington is still owned by BP/Amoco ......... Ed Shaver