Can anyone ID this gas station in North Texas? - Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk

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Can anyone ID this gas station in North Texas? (Page 1)

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Author	Topic: Can anyone ID this gas station in North Texas?
logic2 Active Member Posts: 22 From: denison, texas Registered: Jul 2005	posted 07-07-2005 04:35 PM Hello I just bought an old station in the historic district of Denison, Texas. The tanks were removed about 8 years ago (certified). The deed shows that the Ohio Oil co. once owned it as well as another oil company (the name escapes me but I'll research it). The only information I have on this building aside from the fact that it was recently (Sam Muldrew Tire Shop), is that it was an old Skelly Station. I verified this by a finding an old Skelly 1-gallon-square brake fluid can...as well as a past employee of the gas station. I'd like to know if the design of this building is something Skelly used to build for all of their stations, or if it use to be a Marathon, Gulf, etc... It's going to be restored, and any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Mike IP: Logged
Morgan Active Member Posts: 759 From: Texas Registered: Oct 2000	posted 07-07-2005 05:51 PM Hi Mike, Welcome! I remember the station when I lived in Denison in the late 70s, through the 80s. It was a tire store as long as I remember. Those brick streets bring back memories. As a youngster I took a pry bar and popped up some of the Dr.Pepper crosswalk markers that lined the crosswalks. Still have some from right there on Crawford Street!!! I have a friend that lives in Pottsboro that had a shop just down the street from your station. If you'll email me, I'll give you his phone #. He might remember it as a gas station. Keep us posted on the progress of the restoration. Pictures. Lots of pictures.! IP: Logged
Dick Bennett Active Member Posts: 6015 From: Santa Paula, Calif Registered: Oct 2000	posted 07-07-2005 06:20 PM Do a search in county/city records. Planning commission, fire department, building & safety, local museum, old phone books, tax records, bank records [one of them loaned money for the building], talk to older people in town. Good Luck in your search. db IP: Logged
dodogas Active Member Posts: 3299 From: Kelowna British Columbia Canada Registered: Jan 2003	posted 07-07-2005 09:30 PM It looks a bit like Pcific 66 we had up here. They were Phillips station check maps for sale on ebay, you ,may find a station pic.. IP: Logged
Thunder Active Member Posts: 671 From: Colorado Registered: Oct 2004	posted 07-07-2005 10:19 PM Welcome to the site, and the hobby, Mike. Wow... How many of us have struggled to get a few dollars together just to buy a pump that needed a lot of work. And look at you... Thats great. Any plans for a resto? Historical, or personal preferance? Keep us all posted, lots of pics, and let us know what you find out about your building. I gotta go drain my drool bucket. LOL.... IP: Logged
logic2 Active Member Posts: 22 From: denison, texas Registered: Jul 2005	posted 07-07-2005 11:16 PM Thanks for all the feedback and info! I'm currently running my business (engineering) out of a small (500 sq ft) office in the Katy old railroad depot in Denison and it's too small. After 2 years of complaining, I decided to look for a piece of property in the historic part of Denison and found this ole gem. The owner came down "almost" 50% from his original asking price and I believed it was way to good to pass up so I bought it. There are 3 offices in the left side of the building and I'll be putting my 2 offices in the back. The front room with all the glass will be redone in a 50's diner theme. The 3-bay garage will host my 56 Ford Pickup and all of my old petrol signs... --Thoughts-- Since Ohio Oil co. is on the original property deed at the title company and they owned Marathon, I'd like to restore it as a Marathon Station, but I'm not having much luck finding any Marathon signs, and the ones I have found....well..I'd have to sell my old-blind coon dog to pay for (very expensive) I may just go ahead and restore it as a Skelly Station. I've made a few computer models of what it "might" look like and I have alot of Skelly stuff that would make it look original. I also have 2 tokheim 39's that are unrestored (good condition) and would be going under the shed. Any thoughts on going Marathon ? Any thoughts on finding (or reproducing) a 5 ft. Marathon sign ? Thanks Mike ----This is what a Skelly Sign and neon would look like on the same building---- IP: Logged
Jack Sim Active Member Posts: 1818 From: St. Louis, MO, USA Registered: Nov 2000	posted 07-08-2005 01:55 AM Go the largest library in your town. Ask where the "City Directories" are. Look up the station, (you can look up the address and it will list something). This will tell you what company sold gas out of that location. It should also tell you who operated the station and as you look up each succeding copy of the directory for that location, it will tell you who operated it.When you run of of listing in the City Direcories, this will mean that the station closed. Keep looking up the address, it will tell you if anyone else opened the station at a later date. Keep looking up the station, and it will eventually tell you every you kneed to know about it. Jack Sim Gas Pump Identification book Coming soon, Air Ameter Identification book IP: Logged
theunions Active Member Posts: 47 From: Honolulu, HI Registered: Dec 2004	posted 07-09-2005 12:14 AM Have you checked with the neighbors to see if they have photos? IP: Logged
Gaspedler Active Member Posts: 353 From: Speedway, IN. USA Registered: Feb 2001	posted 07-09-2005 05:15 AM Mike; A little Ohio Oil history for you. The Ohio bought Transcontinental Oil in 1930. That is when they aquired the Marathon Brand, originally owned by Transcontinental. During the 1930's they had stations mostly in Texas Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. I don't know to what extent the Ohio added more stations after that purchase. Most of those stations were sold in the late 1930's to probably the early 1940's. Here are some Logos from that time period. I would guess it was probably a Skelly for more years than a Marathon. Chuck IP: Logged
logic2 Active Member Posts: 22 From: denison, texas Registered: Jul 2005	posted 07-10-2005 12:23 AM That fits the info listed in the property deed. It was sold by Ohio Oil Co. in 1941 to a provate owner and Skelly didn't buy it until 1956. I've asked my neighbors about pictures and they are looking. Denison is such an old town, there are volumes to data and pictures to go through at the library, but no luck so far. I'm thinking about placing an ad in the local newspaper looking for pictures. Thanks for all the info IP: Logged
texican Active Member Posts: 40 From: bonham, tx USA Registered: Dec 2003	posted 07-15-2005 05:51 PM Mike, did ya' see this one? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7169787050&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1 IP: Logged
logic2 Active Member Posts: 22 From: denison, texas Registered: Jul 2005	posted 10-03-2005 12:10 PM Well, I thought I'd post an update to my project; During the restoration of my old service station over the past 3 months, I had 2 guys drive up and tell me that they once worked here. The first guy said he pumped gas and worked as a general service attendant during the early 50's. He said that when he started working there they were a GULF dealer, but that they still had 2 "old" 10 Gal. pumps in one of their service bays (Marathon?). He also said that around 56' Skelly oil took over the lease and the old building was tore down and the new one (this one) was built. He remembered being out of work for a while. The other guy said that he washed cars in the right-most service bay for 2 years during the 70's when it was a Skelly, and that they stopped selling gas around 73 or so..... That's when it began it's life as a tire shop; Sam Muldrew Tire. Anyway, I'm about 95% complete with the resto (inside and out) and will post pictures soon. We're in the process of sandblasting 2 Tokheim 39's that will be installed on the service island. Still looking for some Skelly stuff in the N-Tex area. Thanks Mike@logic2.com IP: Logged
Rogue Member Posts: 9 From: Denton, Texas Registered: May 2005	posted 10-13-2005 09:23 PM Ill be sure to bring the Thunderbird by for a peek if I make it to the KKOA Show on 10/29. Your not selling 30 cent gas are you? Way Kool! IP: Logged
logic2 Active Member Posts: 22 From: denison, texas Registered: Jul 2005	posted 12-03-2005 08:25 PM Well, I've been restoring this old station for a few months now and have finally made some real progress. I posted a few pictures on my webpage: www.AmericanOwned.com http://www.americanowned.com/station/1.jpg http://www.americanowned.com/station/2.jpg Since the pictures were taken, I've mounted the pumps on the island. I'm still looking for a couple of Skelly signs. - The 3 (8' ft) signs that hung above the garage-bay doors. - Skelly Gasoline , Buy it here. If anyone knows where I might find these signs (at a reasonable price) please email me; I'd also consider any other nice Skelly sign that would look good at the station. Thanks Mike@logic2.com [This message has been edited by logic2 (edited 12-03-2005).] [This message has been edited by logic2 (edited 12-03-2005).] IP: Logged
Thunder Active Member Posts: 671 From: Colorado Registered: Oct 2004	posted 12-03-2005 09:43 PM OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BABY!!!!! If that Caltex sign needs a good home, send it to me in Colorado!!!! Never mind that, When is the open house??? I Gotta get out with the old Dodge. and see some of these stations.... Keep up the good work.... I LIKE IT... IP: Logged

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