Those old gas pumps are reason enough to pull over. Sitting outside the Mobilgas station, they look like they've been waiting decades for the next customer to roll in. The weathered building behind them only adds to the scene.
The station has long since closed, and the paint has definitely seen better days, but that's part of its charm. It's easy to picture travelers stopping here years ago to fill the tank, check the oil, and get back on the highway before the interstates changed the way America traveled.
Old service stations like this have become harder to find, especially with their original pumps still out front. If you're wandering the back roads of Arkansas, this is the kind of roadside discovery that makes the drive worthwhile.
UPDATE: The station remains abandoned, with its vintage Mobilgas pumps still standing outside. 08-26
Gas Station
Cromer, GA Photo courtesy Doug Harvey
Blink and you might miss this old Mobilgas Station tucked away in tiny Cromer, Georgia. The vintage pumps out front are what caught our attention first, making this little roadside stop feel like a trip back to the days when every crossroads seemed to have its own neighborhood filling station. 03-06
Nobody seems quite sure what the building is used for these days, but it still has plenty of character. The pumps, the weathered storefront, and the quiet rural setting make it easy to imagine locals stopping in for gas before heading down the road. Places like this weren't built to become attractions, but years later they end up being just that.
If you're exploring the back roads around Franklin County, keep your eyes open. You never know when an old gas station like this will be waiting around the next bend.
Gulf Gas
Cowpens, SC Photo courtesy Doug Harvey
If you're traveling old U.S. 29 north of Cowpens, this abandoned Gulf Gas Station is the kind of place that makes you tap the brakes. With its vintage Gulf pole sign still standing and the old pumps out front, it looks like the last customer may have left only yesterday. 03-06
Of course, a closer look tells a different story. The station has been closed for years, and time has slowly taken over. Even so, it's easy to picture motorists pulling in for a tank of Gulf gasoline back when U.S. 29 was one of the area's busiest highways.
Old stations like this are becoming harder to find, especially with both the pumps and sign still together. If you're wandering South Carolina's back roads, this is the kind of roadside discovery that's worth pulling over for.
Gas Station
Hartwell, GA Photo courtesy Doug Harvey
Here's an old Filling Station that managed to stay in use long after many others had closed their doors. Tucked away in Hartwell, Georgia, it still has the look of a neighborhood service station where locals could pull in for gas, a quick repair, or just a friendly conversation. 03-06
The building was reportedly being used until fairly recently, which makes it an unusual survivor. While bigger convenience stores and highway travel changed the business, this little station hung on longer than most. Its simple design and well-worn appearance make it easy to imagine decades of cars pulling up out front.
Places like this are becoming few and far between. If you're wandering the back roads of northeast Georgia, it's the kind of roadside stop that's worth slowing down to appreciate before continuing on your way.
Gas Station
Salisbury, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss / 2007
Heading west into Salisbury on old Route 70, this Gas Station is one of those places that makes you wonder how many travelers once pulled in for a fill-up before continuing down the highway. By the time this photo was taken, the pumps were quiet, but the building still had plenty of roadside character. 12-07
Stations like this were once a familiar sight along U.S. 70, serving everyone from local residents to families making their way across North Carolina long before the interstate became the preferred route. Today, it's the simple design and well-worn appearance that catch your eye more than anything else.
Old service stations have a way of making you slow down, even if only for a minute. If you're following the old highways instead of the faster roads, you'll still come across roadside discoveries like this every now and then.
Loves Gas Station
Welcome, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss / 2007
Tucked just off the roadside in the little community of Welcome, this Loves Gas Station looks like the kind of place where everybody knew everybody. It's not a flashy station by any means, but that's exactly what makes it worth noticing. 12-07
Years ago, travelers following old U.S. 52 would have passed small stations like this on a regular basis, stopping for a tank of gas before heading on to Lexington or Winston-Salem. As traffic moved to newer highways, many of these neighborhood stations quietly faded away.
Whether you're looking for old signs, forgotten gas stations, or just an excuse to take the slower road, places like this are a reminder that some of the best roadside finds aren't the biggest ones. Sometimes it's the little stations tucked away in small towns that leave the biggest impression.
Esso Gas
Denton, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The old service bay is what catches your eye first at this Esso Gas Station in Denton. Even though the familiar Esso signs have disappeared, there's no mistaking what this building was originally designed to be. It still looks every bit like the neighborhood filling station where locals stopped for gas, an oil change, or a quick repair before heading on down the road. 12-07
For years, stations like this were part of everyday life in small towns across North Carolina. They weren't fancy, but they didn't have to be. They were places where farmers, travelers, and neighbors all crossed paths, and where a simple stop for gasoline often turned into a conversation that lasted a little longer than expected.
Esso Gas
Denton, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The station eventually closed as a gas station, but unlike many others, the building never disappeared. It found a second life serving other businesses, allowing this familiar roadside landmark to remain part of the streetscape instead of becoming another empty lot.
If you're taking the slower roads through Denton, this is the kind of place that's worth a second glance. The pumps may be gone, but the building still tells the story of an era when nearly every small town had a filling station waiting just up the road.
Mobilgas
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Gulf Gas
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Loves Gas Station
Esso Gas
Esso Gas
