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#723777 Sat Jan 26 2019 09:54 AM
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My parents purchased a Union 76 service station in Sumas WA in 1965. It was originally Carl's OK Garage and later changed to Slim's Union from which my parents purchased from Slim's widow. Instantly Sumas had 5 new people in town, population 629. Maybe 634 now that we were in town!! Young's Union Service was born. Later when we added tow trucks, Young's Union Service and Towing. I only had pictures of our station taken in the 40's, none from the 60's when my parents purchased and remodeled it. Our main story was missing. 6 months ago when my sister was cleaning out my parents house, she found the missing picture album that would tell our story. As is my sisters style, she did not just hand me the book and say "here you go". No she carefully took out all the pictures and scanned them and then with her scrapbooking talents created me a new picture album, the history of Young's Union. She gave it to me as a birthday present.

Ok, so my parents got busy and remodeled the back shop first adding on a few feet to the front of it. Next was demolition day. Lots of history going to the dump that day. 2 UNION OIL DEALER signs still attached to the canopy. The 7 foot UNION sign was taken off the old canopy and can be seen laying up against the new building. Guessing my Grandpa as owner of the UNION 76 bulk plant in neighboring town must have taken it home as 50 years later I found it in the old warehouse and was able to purchase from the current owner.

These were the "Good old days!" I was in the 6th grade when we moved and eager to work at the service station. My parents got my brother and I both white work shirts with the old style Minuteman patch on them. We would work after school cleaning and restocking. We had the same rules as the rest of the employees, punch in and turn in your card every 2 weeks for pay. My dad had one rule that applied to everyone. The purple grease rags that we had were not to be carried hanging out of your rear pockets. "We are NOT playing flag football at this service station!"

It was great having a drive on car lift, as I could raise up my bicycle for any needed repairs. Bikes turned to mini-bikes, then go karts and finally at 14 I started building my first car. During my high school days I build a new car just about every year. The rest is history. I still have the love for old cars and especially anything UNION 76!

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Collect UNION 76 items only. Contact me if you have any interesting items for sale.
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Please - NO offers to Buy or Sell in this forum category

Statements such as, "I'm thinking about selling this." are considered an offer to sell.
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Demo day

2018-10-07-16-06-001.jpg 2018-10-07-16-06-002.jpg 2018-10-07-16-07-004.jpg 2018-10-07-16-07-006.jpg

Collect UNION 76 items only. Contact me if you have any interesting items for sale.
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More demo

2018-10-07-16-06-006.jpg 2018-10-07-16-07-007.jpg

Collect UNION 76 items only. Contact me if you have any interesting items for sale.
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The new look

2018-10-07-16-07-010.jpg 2018-10-07-16-07-011.jpg 2018-10-07-16-07-013.jpg 2018-10-07-16-07-014.jpg

Collect UNION 76 items only. Contact me if you have any interesting items for sale.
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good history post, which one is you in the picture? .. ... cool


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What a great story and pictures . Thanks for sharing Jim .

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Thank you for sharing your family photos and history. It is like a trip back in time to see these pictures.


Regards, Jim

I collect gas pump salt and pepper shakers
and the plastic coin banks made by AVSCO.
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Here is the album from my sister. Thank you Joan for all your time and effort!

76 # 1.jpg 76 #2.jpg 76 # 3.jpg 76 # 4.jpg

Collect UNION 76 items only. Contact me if you have any interesting items for sale.
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Randy- I am in this picture

Youngs union newspaper.JPG

Collect UNION 76 items only. Contact me if you have any interesting items for sale.
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Those were the days that other business, banks, and city leaders welcomed new businesses or new people. Now just the tax man is standing there or other government officials looking to get money or give you new regulations.


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Randy. If you look close I am in one picture. I am the one on the bike with newspaper bags on it. I delivered the Bellingham Herald in town when I was not working at the station. 2 jobs at age 12 or 13, that would be criminal today!!!


Collect UNION 76 items only. Contact me if you have any interesting items for sale.
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Nice story. Must have driven by the old station a few times going across the border to and from Abbotsford BC. Best place to cross and avoid the I-5 congestion at the border west of there.

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Jim,

These are awesome photo's and I love the History! Did your family station ever have the Round rotating Union 76 ball?

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Great Stuff ,

Thanks for sharing Brings back tons of memories

Sid


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Great story and great pics. I was trying to see if that Goodyear popped off the wall and went down in the brick pile (picture #4 and the pics that follow) or if that was one that got saved back in the day.

Thanks for sharing,
Steve


-Steve B. (WTB: 48" Flying A button, 48" black/org Phillips 66, White Star, and Chevrolet Signs. Also looking for a Wayne 866. Send a PM. Thanks.)
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In the second picture it looks like a B/A and Royalite credit card signs hanging on the pole.
I think someone out in Washington found a bunch of them nos awhile back.


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Thanks for sharing the story......great photos of the project as it progressed.

It looks to me Steve like the Goodyear sign might be under the pile of rubble in the 4th photo. Sure looks like the contour of the sign there, under what could be a beam I would guess.
Darin


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That’s a great story and great history.


Always looking for Veedol and Tydol cans and signs
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I have a mint B/A cc sign, would love to find a nice Royalite CC sign. Yes, we did have one of the Union 76 balls rotating out front. It was on one of those bent poles to make it reach out over the sidewalk and make it closer to the road.


Collect UNION 76 items only. Contact me if you have any interesting items for sale.
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Jim, it's wonderful to get a better perspective about the "why" of your passion for all things Union 76. Thanks for sharing. The family pictures (especially the ones with your Mom and Dad interacting) brought a smile to my face. I'm thinking about both the optimism and the concern they both must have brought to this new family business venture back in the 1960's. John

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Originally Posted by DWSheffer
It looks to me Steve like the Goodyear sign might be under the pile of rubble in the 4th photo. Sure looks like the contour of the sign there, under what could be a beam I would guess.
Darin


I think your right Darin. Laying upside down on the cement. Common sign, but I really like them.

Last edited by Speedracer; Sun Jan 27 2019 02:21 PM.

-Steve B. (WTB: 48" Flying A button, 48" black/org Phillips 66, White Star, and Chevrolet Signs. Also looking for a Wayne 866. Send a PM. Thanks.)
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Cool story! I swear that I can see my fathers old Ford Econoline in one of those DEMO pics, scrounging for freebees...

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Jim,

thanks for sharing the great pictures. I have searched through all my old photos trying to find any of Young's Union 76. I have fond memories of working there and your folks were very good to me. If you are interested I have a copy of an interview your parents did after their retirement.

thanks,

Ken

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Great story and pics ! Thank you

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Appreciate the history and it is great that you have such nice documentation. Thank you for sharing with everyone .


Wanted TEXACO related items & SUNOCO related items .Signs -Globes et'c. Oil Cans - Grease cans .
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Ken (Murph) First - Welcome to OLD GAS. Yes good memories for all working at Young's Union in the 70's. I would love to have a copy of the interview of my parents. The MURPH nickname came from the Union 76 commercials at the time. Murph was Union's ace gas attendant! I just googled it and watched a commercial from 1978. Ken earned the nickname from our family as he was one of our ACE gas attendants!! If you ever get near Snohomish, you need to stop by for a tour of my collection. I have lots of items from the station that you would remember. j


Collect UNION 76 items only. Contact me if you have any interesting items for sale.
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