Finn's Gas Station (Demolished)
Oklahoma City, OK
Photo courtesy Mike & Terie Lepker

Finn’s Gas Station brought some Art Deco flair to Oklahoma City’s Route 66. Curved surfaces and a distinctive tower made this more interesting than the average fuel stop.

The station is often compared to the famous U-Drop Inn and Tower Station in Shamrock, Texas, and it's easy to see why. Both featured eye-catching Art Deco styling that turned an everyday roadside stop into something memorable. While much smaller in scale, this Oklahoma City station carried the same spirit and showed that even a local filling station could have a little architectural flair.

UPDATE: Finn’s has been demolished, taking another distinctive roadside building from Oklahoma City’s streetscape. 06-26

Vaughns Service Station (Gone)
Fort Dodge, IA
Photo and info courtesy Allen Sandquist

Check out this old Phillips 66 station in Fort Dodge. Vaughn's Service Station probably sold plenty of gas over the years, but let's be honest — the real attraction was everything sitting around the station. 11-05

First there was the giant Phillips 66 cowboy standing out in the lot greeting motorists along Highway 20. Then there was the goofy oversized head sitting on the roof keeping an eye on traffic. Between the two, it would have been pretty hard to drive by without taking a second look.

UPDATE: The station building is still standing today, but both the giant cowboy and the rooftop figure are gone. 06-26

Gas Station (Closed)
Canute, OK
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Canute Service Station has more personality than the average filling station. Stucco walls, decorative tile and a distinctive parapet make it worth a second look along Route 66.

Built in stages during the 1930s, it began as a café and dance hall before adding pumps and service bays. Travelers could find more than gasoline here. 06-06

UPDATE: The business has closed, but the restored building remains. A vintage Uniroyal Tires sign still marks the site for passing travelers. 06-26

Magnolia Service Station (Closed)
Texola, OK
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Magnolia Service Station in Texola recalls the days when nearly every highway town offered a local place for fuel, directions and a little conversation. Built around 1930, it served Route 66 motorists approaching the Texas line. Weathered but hanging on, it remains a familiar roadside stop for cameras. 06-06

UPDATE: The vacant, unrestored station still stands. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it continues attracting visitors exploring Oklahoma’s western edge. The pumps may be quiet, but the old building still gives travelers a reason to pull over. 06-26

Derby Gas Station
St. James, OK
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The rusted sign at Lyle’s Derby Station in St. James, Missouri, recalls an earlier Route 66 fuel stop. Even with the business quiet, the colorful Derby advertisement gave motorists a reason to look over. A little rust hasn’t taken away all its roadside appeal. 09-08

The station served travelers crossing the Missouri Ozarks, offering fuel and automotive service along the old highway. Its weathered pumps, canopy and surviving sign preserve the look of a small-town station where stopping for gas might also mean checking the oil and asking about road conditions.

UPDATE: The building has been cleaned up and repurposed, while the classic Derby sign remains in place. It no longer needs to sell a tank of gasoline to attract attention from Route 66 travelers. 06-26

Rossi Brothers (former Sinclair)
Tulsa, OK
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Rossi Brothers occupies a former Sinclair station with stucco walls, a red tile roof and an unusual corner tower. This Tulsa Route 66 building offers considerably more architectural character than an ordinary garage. 08-17

Built by Sinclair in 1929, it followed the house-style approach used to make service stations fit comfortably into their surroundings.

UPDATE: Rossi Brothers moved here in 1972 and helped preserve the building. The former station still stands and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 06-26