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#97898 Mon Nov 01 2004 08:14 AM
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The Gilmore Oil Co. Story:
First let me tell you guys, that I have no right trying to educate anyone on this company! My Gilmore collection consist of one oil can. This is my attempt to HTH (Help the Hobby)as Dwaine would say. The information I share here with you, I found from other collectors and articles. I have several photos of Gilmore items to share, but they have come from the internet or other collections. I'm hoping that some of you have Gilmore items that you post photos of.

Here we go:
Gilmore was more than an oil company! In Los Angeles, Gilmore was a way of life. You will hear references to Dairy farms, Lion Cubs, Race cars, Farmers Markets, Hollywood stars, Airplane sponsorship, Baseball teams, and even the Indy 500.


THE DAIRY FARM:

Arthur Fremont Gilmore had no plans for a world-renowned institution when he moved to Los Angeles from Illinois in 1870. Rather, he was seeking a new home for his family on the promising West Coast.

With a partner, A.F. Gilmore purchased two ranches in the Los Angeles vicinity. The purchase inaugurated a string of serendipitous events which not even the far- sighted Gilmore could predict. When Gilmore and his partner elected to dissolve their arrangement, they drew straws - Gilmore's straw secured 256 acres on which he created a highly successful dairy farm.

At the turn of the century, while drilling for water for his herd of dairy cows, A.F. Gilmore hit oil.

LETS SELL GAS:
By 1905, the dairy was gone and the Gilmore Oil Company was well on its way to providing the fuel to power the coming automobile age.

In 1921, Earl Bell Gilmore, Arthur's son, went on to create a vast oil and gas distribution network. The auto industry was producing more than four million cars each year, and with a healthy portion of those headed for California and Los Angeles, Gilmore's independent oil company became the largest in the west.

Gilmore's flair for promotion made his gas stations a popular part of the Western landscape. "Blu-Green" gas, the famous "Red Lion," "Gas-a-terias" (now called self-serve stations), and radio jingles which people hummed, were examples of his successful promotions. E.B. Gilmore rarely missed an opportunity to serve the public whose trade had built his enterprise - and in Los Angeles in the 1930s and '40s, he gave them sports.


RACE CARS
In 1934, a few months before Farmers Market opened (more on Farmers Market later), Gilmore built the first race car track designed specifically for midget racers, a venue built of love and commercial savvy. Gilmore loved racers and his marketing sense led him to support them as a "demonstration" of Gilmore Oil products.

His romance with cars extended well beyond the construction of Gilmore Stadium. As a sponsor, E.B. Gilmore took vehicles to the Winner's Circle at the Indianapolis 500. As a patron, he helped establish a land speed record which lasted for eight years. As a businessman, he created "Economy Runs" which evolved into modern stock car racing. In 1987, E.B. Gilmore was elected to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of fame.


Gilmore Stadium, located on Beverly Boulevard, just to the north of the La Brea Tar pits in Los Angeles, was a 1/5 mile stadium built in 1934 by Earl Gilmore to host midget racing. It was expanded to 1/4 miles in 1936, and had a crushed granite surface. The land was purchased in 1950 by CBS Television, and the last race was held on the 23rd November 1950..


FARMERS MARKET:
In July 1934, a contingent of farmers pulled their trucks onto an expanse of empty land at the property known as Gilmore Island, at the corner of Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles, and displayed their produce on the tailgates of their vehicles.
Customers quickly arrived and parked their cars on a hastily created dirt parking lot in spaces designated with chalk. They strolled among the trucks purchasing
fruit, vegetables and flowers.

The atmosphere was casual, the open air commerce enticing, the goods fresh, and the result remarkable. Farmers Market became an instant institution.

Roger Dahlhjelm and Fred Beck, two entrepreneurs trying to make the best of the Depression, approached E.B. Gilmore with "An Idea." Perhaps they were attracted by Gilmore's marketing flair or perhaps it was his expansive acreage in close proximity to the booming Los Angeles community.

Whatever the motivation, Dahlhjelm and Beck envisioned a "Village Square" where artisans would sell handmade goods - pottery, furniture, textiles - from stalls surrounding a central market where farmers would sell their produce to housewives. Dahlhjelm and Beck had architectural renderings and a vast vision.

E.B. Gilmore had a large vacant field, and the "Idea" was given life. The concept of elaborate architecture gave way to wooden stalls, and the vast vision gave way to a modest business approach - farmers were charged a mere 50˘ per day "rent" - but the "Idea" had a power all its own.

Farmers Market reached and surpassed the lofty vision which launched it. By the time the decade had lapsed, the gross was greater than the predicted six million dollars, but commercial volume was the least of the Market's achievements

Farmers Market became the central meeting place for Angelenos - "Meet me at 3rd and Fairfax" is still one of the most common phrases in the city. It also became, and remains, the must-see tourist attraction in Southern California.

Farmers Market has been the home to circus acts, parades, petting zoos, and stargazing. It was also the source of a daily newspaper column which, at its height, rivaled "Dick Tracy" in popularity. Chef Baloni, the irrepressible Fred Beck, made his home here and offered cooking tips and Farmers Market recipes.

As a part of an expansion and reconstruction project in 1941, Farmers Market became the home of the Clock Tower, which has become an international landmark. In tribute to Earl B. Gilmore, Roger Dahlhjelm, and Fred Beck, the words "An Idea" were inscribed on the Clock Tower.

After 68 years, and undoubtedly 68 more, Farmers Market remains an idea whose time is now.

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Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
Vintage Gas

[This message has been edited by oltoydoc@pacbell.net (edited 11-02-2004).]


Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
oltoydoc@vintagegas.com
(310)415-9562 Cel.
Vintage Gas
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#97899 Mon Nov 01 2004 08:23 AM
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Here is a photo I took at what is now "Farmers Market". In order to show the Gilmore family roots, this station was erected.



A closer look at the pumps.

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Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
Vintage Gas


Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
oltoydoc@vintagegas.com
(310)415-9562 Cel.
Vintage Gas
#97900 Mon Nov 01 2004 01:30 PM
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[img]hometown.aol.com/ethancarman/mypumps/gilquart[/img]

[This message has been edited by cans and stuff (edited 11-01-2004).]

#97901 Mon Nov 01 2004 03:43 PM
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HERE ARE A COUPLE OF MAPS:




---------------------------------------------------------
DOC @ TAG/WEST


DOC @ THE AMERICAN GARAGE
#97902 Mon Nov 01 2004 06:06 PM
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Gilmore Factoid: At its height, Gilmore Oil Company was the largest distributor of petroleum products in the western United States.


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Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
Vintage Gas

[This message has been edited by oltoydoc@pacbell.net (edited 11-02-2004).]


Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
oltoydoc@vintagegas.com
(310)415-9562 Cel.
Vintage Gas
#97903 Tue Nov 02 2004 08:54 AM
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Here's a little trivia on Gilmore Stadium...Gilmore Stadium, located on Beverly Boulevard, just to the north of the La Brea Tar pits in Los Angeles, was a 1/5 mile stadium built in 1934 by Earl Gilmore to host midget racing. It was expanded to 1/4 miles in 1936, and had a crushed granite surface. The land was purchased in 1950 by CBS Television, and the last race was held on the 23rd November 1950.




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Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
Vintage Gas


Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
oltoydoc@vintagegas.com
(310)415-9562 Cel.
Vintage Gas
#97904 Tue Nov 02 2004 09:11 AM
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Here's the photo of Ethan's quart can. Very Nice!


Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
oltoydoc@vintagegas.com
(310)415-9562 Cel.
Vintage Gas
#97905 Tue Nov 02 2004 10:21 AM
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I do not know if this counts but my race car the Hunter Spl has a Gilmore Red Lion on the side. George Conner and Ted Horn drove it in 1935 at the Legion Ascot Racetrack and it ran against the Blue Green Spl, Red Lion Spl. and Lion Head Spl. When George Conner was alive he told me they used Gilmore fuel.


#97906 Wed Nov 03 2004 09:37 AM
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Geeze "Cessna195" what a beauty ! Where is Hubba's drool bucket?

Gilmore was remarkable when it came to advertising. The Gilmore Co. sponsered race cars and even racing airplanes.


This photo is of Roscoe Turner with a vintage streamlined aircraft taken during the 1932 National Air Races, marked in pencil on reverse: "1932 - WEDELL WILLIAMS 44 GILMORE RED LION RACER ~ COL. ROSCOE TURNER - PILOT & EARL B. GILMORE - PRESIDENT GILMORE OIL COMPANY". Gilmore the Flying Lion truck is visible in background.

Roscoe Turner, is probably the greatest air racing pilot of the Golden Age. Photographs of Turner's planes throughout his racing career tell the story of a man who had mastered the art of securing corporate sponsorships. Smith propellers, Pratt and Whitney motors, H. T. spark plugs, Bendix, Twentieth Century Pictures, Heinz 57, and Mac Millan Ring Free oil were just a few of the many names and logos to appear on the side of Turner's planes. In the ten years he raced, He set numerous transcontinental records, In 1933 he won the Shell Division of the MacRobertson International Air Race from London to Melbourne. In 1935 he finished an agonizing 23.5 seconds behind the winner in the Bendix Trophy Race, flying from Los Angeles, California to Cleveland, Ohio, and led the Thompson Trophy Race until the last half lap when his engine began trailing black smoke. In 1938 Roscoe was back with a brand new Laird/Turner Racer in which he placed second in the Golden Gate Trophy Race and won the Thompson Trophy Race for the second time. At the close of the 1939 Cleveland National Air Races at which he had won the Thompson Trophy for an unprecedented third time, Roscoe Turner announced his retirement from active competition. As America's premier speed flyer, Turner was a multiple winner of the Harmon and Henderson Trophies, and received a special Distinguished Flying Cross by Act of Congress in 1952.(Credit: Golden Age of Air Racing)



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Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
Vintage Gas


Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
oltoydoc@vintagegas.com
(310)415-9562 Cel.
Vintage Gas
#97907 Wed Nov 03 2004 08:01 PM
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Don...my drool bucket overfloweth for sure...I LOVE THIS COMPANY and was looking forward to seeing it this Month...Thanks Don for Hosting it and everyone who participates. Too cool

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Hubba: GAS GEEK , OIL FREAK and humble moderator


Hubba: GAS GEEK , OIL FREAK of Seattle WA
#97908 Wed Nov 03 2004 10:46 PM
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Cessna, I love those old racecars, did you race at Ascot in the late 60,s?? I had a sprint car chassis I sold a while back it went to the original builder who raced it there. I have a pic from the Bowes Sealfast co of a Gilmore racer similar to yours. It has a heartshaped grill shell..dont know where it was taken.it has been modified by the artists, they added speedlines off the tires and sharpened up some outlines and features on it. In 96 I was at DelMar bike races and just a week or two after that they ran the cars like yours. There was a blue one on display with a Gemsa in it with Webers, cool car!

Anyone notice the Gilmore Lion cage behind the airplane ???

[This message has been edited by dodogas (edited 11-03-2004).]

#97909 Thu Nov 04 2004 03:26 PM
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Heres a few items from David Kois, I'll let him tell you about them.




Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
oltoydoc@vintagegas.com
(310)415-9562 Cel.
Vintage Gas
#97910 Thu Nov 04 2004 04:15 PM
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Here is a photo of the "Gilmore Lion Clubs".. “Gilmore” the Lion Cub was the official co-pilot of the Gilmore airplane which set inter-city air speed records (and promoted Gilmore Gas) through the ‘20s and ‘30s. Gilmore the Lion Cub is believed to have been the model for “Leo,” the MGM lion. Gilmore the Lion Cub logged more than 30,000 miles and won himself a place in the National Air & Space Museum

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Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
Vintage Gas


Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
oltoydoc@vintagegas.com
(310)415-9562 Cel.
Vintage Gas
#97911 Fri Nov 05 2004 11:13 AM
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Here are some poster images from Gilmore's "Blue/Green" Gas advertising.

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Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
Vintage Gas


Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
oltoydoc@vintagegas.com
(310)415-9562 Cel.
Vintage Gas
#97912 Sat Nov 06 2004 08:55 AM
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GREAT ARTICLE DON.. THANKS FOR THE INFO.. NOW WHERE DID I SEE THAT OLD GILMORE GLOBE AT THE OTHER DAY???? I THINK THE 2ND HAND STORE DOWN THE ROAD HAS A COUPLE ORIGINAL ONES.. WHEN I GET TIME THIS WINTER I'LL MEANDER ON DOWN THERE AND TRY TO DICKER ON THEIR $80.00 ASKING PRICE.. L.O.L!!!! DID GILMORE EVER HAVE A STATION IN IDAHO??? HOW ABOUT NEVADA???

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