Hat 'n' Boots
Seattle, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Most gas stations were happy with a tall sign, but Hat
'n' Boots in Seattle went considerably further. Motorists on Highway 99 could pull in beneath a cowboy hat measuring 44 feet across, while two enormous boots housed the restrooms. The hat sheltered the station office, making this one roadside attraction where the architecture actually earned its keep. 11-20
Opened in 1954 as the Premium Tex service station, the unusual complex was designed by Seattle artist Lewis Nasmyth for businessman Buford Seals. It was intended to anchor a Western themed shopping center called Frontier Village, although most of that development never materialized. The boots were carefully shaped with wrinkles and creases, giving them the appearance of well worn footwear rather than brand new concrete.
UPDATE: The station closed in 1988, but neighborhood preservation efforts saved its oversized cowboy gear. The structures moved to Oxbow Park in 2003, and the completed restoration was celebrated in 2010. They no longer dispense gasoline or provide restrooms, but they still give visitors to Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood a good reason to stop and grab a photo. 07-26
Save On Gas
Aurora, OR Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Some old signs look like they've been part of the landscape forever. Save On Gas is one of those. Perched on a weathered post outside an old service station in Aurora, it has the kind of faded charm that makes you wonder how many motorists have driven past without giving it a second glance. 03-06
There's nothing flashy about this sign, and that's exactly what makes it appealing. It belongs to an era when independent gas stations dotted the highways, each with its own personality instead of the familiar chain logos we see today. It's easy to imagine travelers along old Highway 99E spotting this sign as they rolled through town looking for their next fill-up.
Save On Gas
Aurora, OR Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Sometimes it's the simplest roadside survivors that tell the biggest stories. The old pumps may be gone and the station may have changed over the years, but the sign still captures a little piece of what highway travel used to be like.
UPDATE: The current status of the former Save On Gas station couldn't be confirmed. Whether the old sign still stands or not, photos like this help preserve another disappearing piece of roadside America. 07-26
Signal Gas
Portland, OR Photo courtesy Mike Siebert
Some buildings are impossible to drive past without making a U-turn. Signal Gas is one of them. Originally built in 1939 as the St. Johns Signal Tower Gas Station, its streamlined tower, glowing neon, and vintage gas pumps make it look like something straight out of the late 1930s. The bands of neon wrapping around the building almost make it glow like a movie set after dark, while the restored pumps out front complete the picture. It's one of those rare places that makes you wish every old gas station had been saved. 06-06
Signal Oil built these tower stations to grab the attention of passing motorists, and nearly ninety years later this one is still doing exactly that. Even the old service bay remains, reminding visitors that this was once a working neighborhood filling station where Portland drivers stopped for gas, oil, and repairs.The art deco looking architecture is very eye-catching.
Signal Gas pumps and close-up
Portland, OR Photo courtesy Mike Siebert
After the station closed, the building spent years serving other purposes before an ambitious restoration brought it back to life. Using original Signal Oil specifications, nearly every visible detail was recreated, from the custom neon and period paint colors to the vintage Bennett gas pumps standing out front. The effort was so authentic that the building earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today it's hard to imagine the St. Johns neighborhood without this little Art Deco gem. Whether you're there for pizza or just passing by, it's a reminder that roadside architecture can be every bit as memorable as the cars that once pulled beneath its canopy.
Signal Gas pumps and close-up
Portland, OR Photo courtesy Mike Siebert
UPDATE: Today the beautifully restored St. Johns Signal Tower Gas Station is home to Signal Station Pizza. The neon still lights up the building, the vintage pumps remain out front, and the former service bay now welcomes hungry customers instead of automobiles. 07-26
Gas Station
Grants Pass, OR Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
This old Gas Station in Grants Pass is worth a second look, even without a car waiting at the pumps. The building has enough personality to make you wonder which gasoline brand once appeared out front and how many motorists stopped here before continuing through southern Oregon. Sometimes the best roadside finds are the places you know the least about. 11-20
Before a fill up usually meant a convenience store stop, neighborhood service stations offered a different experience. An attendant might pump the gas, check the oil, and clean the windshield while you stayed behind the wheel. Buildings like this provided space for the business of keeping cars on the road, often with a distinctive design that helped customers recognize the station.
Save On Gas
Save On Gas
Gas Station
