Nice maps, Dave........thanks for posting them. Ashland's expertise from the outset was in refining, and you'll notice in the "history" post above they were in existence for 22 years before they started marketing under their own name. When I worked for them in the 1970's, their marketing area for the Ashland brand was mostly Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio. I doubt there were serious plans to expand much into Michigan. Thru acquisitions they expanded their retailing operations, but didn't seem to be quick to re-brand the stations. They thought of themselves as a large independent oil company that sold most of their refinery output to other independents. Ashland did own an extensive network of pipelines and terminals.....mostly to move refined products to key sales areas. After They aquired the Superamerica brand in 1970, there was a major effort to expand that brand and the new-at-the-time concept of a "convenience store" station. That idea caught on BIG TIME......now almost every gas station is a convenience store as well.....no matter what brand of gasoline they sell. Ashland is largely responsible for that industry change.

Richard

Richard Weir
Corinth, Texas