Then, Then, Then, Then and Now Templeton Mass. - Sat Mar 18 2017 11:09 PM
I have these pictures thru the years of a local Gas Station my Dad ran and owned on and off thru the years. I don't have complete history but have some bits to add.
The first picture appears to be the 30's, although branded Mobil, 20 years apart I found 2 Beacon gas signs, (a pump sign and a 30" porcelain) in the ground behind this station. I have yet to see a picture of it as a Beacon Station.
The 2nd picture, 1950's is the Best, a friend of mines father, a mason, built this around 1948 for a Mobil Station, it was run by a couple local guys for several years, at some point my father managed/worked it also. The Oil truck in the picture Terry's Oil was eventually bought by my father and started a lifelong career in the home fuel oil business. None of the memorabilia remains.
Picture 3, 1960's I'm a little vague on but my dad did own the station at one time previous and then sold it.
Picture 4, 1970's is where I spent my years hanging out, my dad bought the station again in the early 1970's and we sold gas as an independent dealer for several years and did minor repairs, at this time the Oil Business was flourishing so this was more of a thorn to him, but kept it going to give us boys work and supply his vehicles with gas. That is me standing in the bay and my fathers Buick skylark pulling up. The GTO on the side was an employee's who worked part time there. I do remember selling Fox Head motor oil before switching to Quaker State. I think it was around 1980 when we shut it down,
Picture 5, 2017 is how it sits today, in the early 80's it was leased to a man who ran a radiator repair business, a few years later another guy transformed it into a Pizza house, at that time removing the overhead door, he lasted a couple years. Eventually a Fire Extinquisher and welding supply business opened and remains there today.
Building is still owned by my mom.
The first picture appears to be the 30's, although branded Mobil, 20 years apart I found 2 Beacon gas signs, (a pump sign and a 30" porcelain) in the ground behind this station. I have yet to see a picture of it as a Beacon Station.
The 2nd picture, 1950's is the Best, a friend of mines father, a mason, built this around 1948 for a Mobil Station, it was run by a couple local guys for several years, at some point my father managed/worked it also. The Oil truck in the picture Terry's Oil was eventually bought by my father and started a lifelong career in the home fuel oil business. None of the memorabilia remains.
Picture 3, 1960's I'm a little vague on but my dad did own the station at one time previous and then sold it.
Picture 4, 1970's is where I spent my years hanging out, my dad bought the station again in the early 1970's and we sold gas as an independent dealer for several years and did minor repairs, at this time the Oil Business was flourishing so this was more of a thorn to him, but kept it going to give us boys work and supply his vehicles with gas. That is me standing in the bay and my fathers Buick skylark pulling up. The GTO on the side was an employee's who worked part time there. I do remember selling Fox Head motor oil before switching to Quaker State. I think it was around 1980 when we shut it down,
Picture 5, 2017 is how it sits today, in the early 80's it was leased to a man who ran a radiator repair business, a few years later another guy transformed it into a Pizza house, at that time removing the overhead door, he lasted a couple years. Eventually a Fire Extinquisher and welding supply business opened and remains there today.
Building is still owned by my mom.
