Fill 'er Up

From Pete Zarria:

This is the first of two parts involving old gas stations, some restored, others ignored. This batch is from Iowa -- DB.

I was leaving town not having seen much, a nice elevator maybe when this hit me in the face. It's the local garden club now, but somebody went to some work for this, it's a pristine example.

Two views of Zeller's Garage, Palo, Iowa. Pop, 889.

Down at the old Shell in Waverly, Iowa.

Brooklyn, Iowa. I was just driving along looking for things when this came up. Tried from the car, gave that up and did everything I could to get a decent shot of an operating Deco Standard Station. I think its mostly repair now, but the pumps look to be still functional.

Tokheim pump, Main Street Texaco~LaPorte City, Iowa.

West Branch, Iowa - The birthplace of Herbert Hoover. This building was first a bank in 1910 then the post office before being converted to Virgil's Sinclair.

This station once sat at the crossroads of US 63 and US 30, the Lincoln Highway. The Lincoln has since been realigned and 63 crosses on an overpass relegating the business they relied on to the speed of "modern engineering." Yet it is these places that were the spice of the American roadside, every place reflected its individual owner, not corporate "branding" strategies. It's now maintained as kind of a museum piece along with the cafe (still serving) next door and the motel just next to that.

Old gas station under an ugly sky in Mediapolis, Iowa. I suspect this is someone's home now.

I don't really know what it is with Iowans. They dis neon but really love their gas stations. I find them all over the place in the smallest towns. Hidden gems that make the road less traveled very worthwhile. This is now the town museum, a collection of the finest corn cobs this side of Probstei, Iowa.