Here we have a wonderfully atmospheric nighttime shot of the Lone Palm Gas Station somewhere in Long Beach, California in 1934. I couldn’t find much information on it, so I don’t know if that lone palm tree is real or not (those fronds look suspiciously evenly balanced) however they do proudly serve Sunset Gasoline, which is a brand I don’t recall coming cross before. It sounds like a very Californian name, though, doesn’t it?
Craig B on Facebook said this gas station was at the corner of Cherry Ave and E. 4th St.
From Bill M. on Facebook says: “It seems Sunset Pacific Oil Company, aka Sunrise Motor Oils, was in existence from 1928-1934 in California.”
That is a fancy looking gas station. It looks so clean! I really enjoy all your hard work sharing these photos, Martin. Even though I live in the Midwest, I love anything to do with old time Hollywood and it’s history. Thank you so much!
Thanks, Patti. You’re very, very welcome. I’m happy to know you enjoy photos like this one.
It’s a Richfield Station, Atlantic Richfield, later Arco. Lovely picture.
It is a lovely picture but I feel for the unfortunate renters living next door in the apartment building. Station lights blasting into their units, customers chatting away right outside their windows all hours, the constant dings of the pumps, incessant starting and stopping of engines, the smell from old unsealed fuel systems. Ugh, I’m sure it was much the same as people still living along parts of the La Cienega corridor today adjacent to the old oil fields or anywhere zoning allows commerce to be up against residential sites.
You’re right NW. I hadn’t thought about that. It must have been awful!