Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana F.A.T.W. -- Found Along The Way -- September 2006

Hey Guys 'n Gals!

It's that time of the month again -- time to share the petro relics that we've stumbled across in our recent travels, and check out what other people have found as well.

If you would like to contribute to this feature, simply post the pictures here or email them directly to me and I will post them for you. Be sure to include a story or description with your subissions.
If it's too close to the next installment, please note that I may hold your contribution for posting when the new FATW comes up on the 5th day of each month.
Send 'em in!!


Happy trails!

Wes

[This message has been edited by thermactor (edited 09-06-2006).]

Check out this old hotel sign. I slammed on the brakes when I passed this... It's gotta be an old Marathon sign.



Look closely, though -- the signs are plastic! The sign was very thick - having a center section and a thick fluorescent layer on each side. I wonder if Marathon had light-up signs of this design? If not, the light-up sides were fabbed up and added to a standard frame.



Has anyone seen a lighted Marathon runner sign?

Here are some neat old stations I found along the old backroads...





It looks like time stopped about 20 years ago for this old station. Is that a clock on the wall in the office? Neat...

Here's an oldie... I'd like to rummage around in here!



Now, I have no idea whether this is a station, old truck stop, or something else. My money is on old truck stop, as it bears some (MINOR) resemblances to the Hwy 80 truck stop in Bossier City, LA that I once photographed.



Notice the overside, pass-thru garage door on each side of the building. It also has a pretty tall canopy, and the fact that it's two stories could indicate hotel rooms.



This is all just speculation, though. It could be railroad related, but something about it just really looks like a truck stop.

Hey - a Coca-Cola button! I wonder what the curved-ended sign underneath it was...



Across the street, more Coke buttons. I guess they were plentiful at one time...

Gotta love photos like these....thanks for posting them. My guess on that curved sign is that I think it is another porcelain Coke sign.

More commonly refered to as a "sled sign". You might be able to salvage those buttons since they were porcelain in most cases. Be neat to see what's under the paint.

i love found along the way!in fact one of my favourite parts of the hobby is finding old stations and taking pics.hers some of the things i found on the recent trip to ky.just gonna post a few at a time,so if you like this stuff make sure you check back i really liked the shell.amazing but more than 1 had the roof missing on some of these.wood rots before block i guess.more later,im not good at multiple pics mick

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nother now a tractor shop? liked this one too!

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August vacation found me back up in NW Wisconsin, fishing, shooting and riding around the beautiful backroads again. On my way to the town of Spooner I rode past a local landmark I've been passing for the past 37 years.



Gal who has the bar now says she's been offered thousands for the Standard sign, I suggested she sell it and buy another to replace it on Ebay, making a nice profit.



Also got a chance to meet oldgas member Neil (VW (o\!/o) NUT) down in the town of Spooner, real nice guy. Leaving Spooner on Hwy.63 north I came across this place, looks like it may have sold a few petrol products in its days.

A trip up Hwy. 27 found a couple of old soldiers still pulling duty.



Right across the street from the pumps stands another Standard sign painted to reflect a business that came and went. Up close you can really see the raised porcelain Standard letters sticking through the paint. I’m betting the sign is pretty much mint underneath.



Headed west on County Y brings you to the town of Gordon and this building from the past.



A short jog north of Gordon I remember an old visible I’d seen on County B years back while out cruising the backroads. I found it again along with the owner and a few other things of his. Here’s something he’s recently completed, just looking for a mannequin for the back.

Thanks for posting the pics. You gotta love those old stations.
Rod van Pelt

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This is the home of Arvid Stromquist, a real nice guy who restores Model T’s and A’s. He gave me about an hour tour of his place, showed me his cars and the Model T coils he rebuilds and test. I didn’t even notice but he told me the glass cylinder on his pump is really Plexiglas he bent himself with a little practice and a lot of controlled heat.





Got a little shaky on this pic.



Another classic in Arvid’s garage.

Arvid’s wife helps out with the flowerbed. Sign underneath the car says “Old Fords never die, they just go to seed.”



Arvid’s yardlight may look familiar to some folks.


Leaving Arvid’s place I headed down Hwy 35 and came upon another old sentinel. Seems like Standard was a big seller up here at one time. I’m still wondering how my DX labeled 36B found it’s way up into this neck of the woods.

A trip around the corner found what was left of this gas station’s pumps.



The pump island ended up about 50 feet away, quite a feat considering it’s all concrete and over 20 feet long. Must have taken a good size piece of equipment to move it.



Further down Hwy 35 I found this sign gracing the side of the road. How’d he know I was a DX nut?



Heading back to the cabin and it’s time to top off the tanks at a little General Store on Hwy 77 and County H. Seems quite a few of these pumps are still in service up here, even if the taped on sign says “Price x 2” to cover the pumps inability to compute $3.00 gasoline. If you’re ever in the neighborhood come on up and drive some of the nicest backroads around. Lots of wildlife to see as you cruise through beautiful forest and past crystal clear lakes. Happy Motoring!




[This message has been edited by kwilal (edited 09-06-2006).]