Sinclair Dino
Wisconsin Dells, WI Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Sinclair has been home to "Dino" since 1930, and it's hard to think of another gas station mascot that's become more recognizable. Check out this huge dinosaur protruding from the front of the Sinclair Gas Station in Wisconsin Dells. It's impossible to drive by without taking a second look. 03-06
The company adopted its dinosaur mascot in 1930, later turning fiberglass versions into familiar roadside attractions. This location went a step further by incorporating the creature into the building. In Wisconsin Dells, oversized company seems perfectly appropriate.
UPDATE: The station no longer operates as Sinclair, but Dino remains above the entrance at Dino Stop II, still greeting visitors. 06-26
Wadham Gas
West Allis, WI Photo and info courtesy Vic Eirschele
Here's the old Wadham Gas station in West Allis. Even though the pump islands are long gone, the building has been beautifully maintained and remains one of Wisconsin's most distinctive surviving service stations. It's hard to miss the unusual pagoda-style roof, a design that set Wadham stations apart from just about every other gas station of the era. 07-06
Wadham's Oil and Grease Company, based in Milwaukee, developed this unique architectural style during the 1920s. Designed by noted architect Alexander Eschweiler, the stations featured sweeping pagoda roofs, red tile accents, and decorative stained glass windows with the company's "W" logo. They were meant to be neighborhood landmarks as much as places to buy gasoline.
Wadham Gas view from across street
West Allis, WI Photo courtesy Vic Eirschele
This station opened in 1927 and later operated for many years as Frank Seneca Service. Although road improvements eventually claimed the original pump islands, the building itself survived and remains one of the best examples of Wadham's distinctive architecture.
UPDATE: The former Wadham station has been carefully restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Owned by the City of West Allis, the building now serves as a small museum showcasing the history of the station, the Wadhams Oil and Grease Company, and early motoring in Wisconsin. 06-26
Wadham Gas interior
West Allis, WI Photo courtesy Vic Eirschele
Wadham Gas more interior
West Allis, WI Photo courtesy Vic Eirschele
DX Gas
Kennett, MO Photo courtesy Doug Harvey
This DX Gas sign in Kennett recalls a gasoline brand once familiar across the Midwest. Its bold red-and-white logo helped motorists spot a place for fuel and service from down the road. 12-06
DX stations became common during the mid-century driving years, but the name gradually disappeared. Surviving signs offer a little variety beyond today’s familiar station logos.
UPDATE: The sign’s exact location within Kennett and its present status remain unconfirmed. 06-26
Petersburg's Low Priced Station - 1993 (Demolished)
Perrysburg, OH Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Here is an old station called Perrysburg's Low Priced Station found in Perrysburg, Ohio. This is still one of the early gas stations and it matched the streetscape well (not shown here). The photos were taken in 1993. I went by a year or two later and it was gone, replaced by your typical nondescript affair with a large canopy. The streetscape is certainly not as charming as it once was. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 1-07
UPDATE: The original station was demolished in the mid-1990s and replaced by a modern gas station. Unfortunately, none of the early structure survives, leaving these photographs as a reminder of one of Perrysburg's more distinctive roadside landmarks. 06-26
A front profile of the station - 1993
Perrysburg, OH Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Other old buildings in the streetscape - 1993
Perrysburg, OH Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Wadham Gas
Wadham Gas view from across street
DX Gas
Petersburg's Low Priced Station - 1993 (Demolished)
