 Oasis Station (Demolished)
Palm Desert, CA
Photo courtesy Bill Herzog
The Oasis Station was a famous roadside fixture on 86 back in the 60's and 70's. This sign used be all lit up in neon at night. When we used to drive to San Filipe Baja at night you could see this place for miles. It was beautiful. They pulled the great old pumps back in 1999. Many thanks to Bill Herzog for info. 06-06
At night, the fully illuminated sign could be spotted from miles away across the dark desert flats. For drivers heading south toward San Felipe and Baja, it must have looked like a glowing promise that gasoline, cold drinks, and perhaps a restroom were just ahead. The pumps and giant sign offered one last look at the days when fuel stops had to announce themselves long before the next set of headlights arrived.
UPDATE: The old gasoline pumps were removed in 1999, and the station has since been demolished. Its towering neon sign is also gone, leaving another empty spot along the old Highway 86 corridor. 09-26
 Texaco (Closed)
Brawley, CA
Photo courtesy Bill Herzog
This Texaco is located on the plaza in Brawley. It used to be a drive thru service station. Today, they sell flowers under the canopy. Many thanks to Bill Herzog for info. 06-06
The station dates back to around 1919, when it opened as the Petree Gasoline Service Station. It later became a Texaco, adding the familiar red-star signs and branding to the old building. Its location near the center of town made it a handy stop as automobile and agricultural traffic grew around Brawley.
UPDATE: The old station no longer sells gasoline, and its Texaco signs and pumps have been removed. The building has survived and has been used for other commercial purposes, though it is currently reported as vacant. 09-26
 Gas Station (Gone)
Niland, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Broadhurst
Passing through Niland near the Salton Sea, check out the crumbling remains of this Abandoned Gas Station along the old Highway 111 corridor. The pumps and signs were already gone, leaving behind a weathered shell that looked right at home among the desert ruins.
The station’s original name and gasoline brand have been lost, but the building became a favorite subject for photographers exploring the Salton Sea area. Artist Ed Freeman photographed the old station in 2009, giving this forgotten fuel stop a little unexpected life in the art world.
UPDATE: The abandoned station was demolished by 2010. Nothing remains of the building, pumps, or signs today. 09-26
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