Gas
AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

The tall Gas sign made sure Arkansas motorists could spot the station before reaching the driveway. Its height did much of the advertising, raising a straightforward message above the surrounding roadside. There was little need for a lengthy sales pitch when the customer was watching the fuel gauge.

Signs like this were practical markers along highways where services could be separated by considerable distances. Spotting one meant an opportunity to refuel, stretch your legs, and check the car before continuing. The display’s simplicity is part of its appeal: one familiar word, positioned where approaching drivers could see it.

UPDATE: The precise location and current status of this station have not been established. 08-26

Esso
AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

The Esso pump carries a price that certainly catches the eye: 22 cents a gallon. That figure records a very different period in automobile travel, although it doesn’t establish exactly when the photograph was taken. The familiar oval branding supplies another connection to an earlier generation of service stations.

Esso’s name originated from the pronunciation of the initials “S.O.,” for Standard Oil. Pumps carrying the brand became recognizable features at stations where attendants commonly filled the tank and offered additional service. The older equipment combined the company identity with mechanical price and gallon displays, making the pump itself part of the roadside advertisement.

UPDATE: The location and fate of this particular Arkansas pump have not been confirmed. It may have survived through preservation or reuse, but there is no established account here of what followed. 08-26

Mobilgas
AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

The red Pegasus on this Mobilgas pump makes an unmistakable introduction. Its rounded cabinet and well-kept appearance give the equipment plenty of visual appeal, even without seeing the rest of the station. It’s a good example of how a gasoline pump could serve as both a working machine and an advertisement. 08-08

The winged horse became one of American motoring’s most recognizable symbols, appearing on pumps, signs, and service-station buildings. Here, it gives a relatively small object a clear identity. Details such as the lettering and painted finish reward a closer look, especially when so much modern fueling equipment follows a different design.

UPDATE: The pump’s exact Arkansas location and current condition have not been confirmed. Whether it remains at a former station or has entered a collection is unknown. 08-26

Lube Shop
AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

The crooked “Lubrication” lettering gives this old Lube Shop an unintended bit of personality. A pile of tires outside adds to the weathered service-station scene. Whatever appearance the business presented when new, the photograph captures a building that had accumulated plenty of years beside the road.

Lubrication was once prominently advertised as a separate service, alongside tire work, oil changes, and mechanical repairs. Small garages could handle several needs in one stop, making them useful to local drivers and passing travelers alike. The surviving lettering offers a clue to the work performed here, even though the station’s name and gasoline brand remain unidentified.

UPDATE: The location and later history of this Arkansas garage have not been established. Its current use, survival, and original branding remain uncertain. 08-26

Shell Service Station Winston-Salem, NC Photo courtesy Tony Craig One look at Shell Service Station and you know which company it was built to advertise. Shaped like a giant scallop shell, this Winston-Salem landmark doesn’t need a towering marquee. The building itself supplies the roadside attraction, with vintage pumps and shell-topped globes completing the scene out front. Built around 1930, it is the lone survivor of eight shell-shaped stations constructed in the area. The property later served as a lawn mower and small-engine repair shop before preservation efforts secured its future. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, the little station preserves an imaginative approach to advertising: make the entire business look like the company logo.   Shell Gas front Winston-Salem, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss UPDATE: This old gas station is the last survivor of eight that were once in Winston-Salem. Here below are more recent photos of the gas station. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for update. 07-08 UPDATE: The restored station remains a roadside landmark rather than an operating gasoline business. Visitors can admire the shell-shaped exterior and vintage pumps from outside. Nearly a century later, it still does what its builders intended—catches your eye and makes you want to pull over. 08-26   Shell Gas back view Winston-Salem, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss Shell Gas close-up of entrance Winston-Salem, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss