How cute is this? These kids gathered outside a Signal gas station at 2222 W. Florence Ave because they belonged to the Signal Tarzan club. It took me a while to figure out that Signal gasoline’s logo was of Tarzan fighting an alligator with the motto “The Power of Tarzan.” It explains why so many of those little boys are dressed up in their Tarzan outfits. I also love how Signal’s sign included a pair of semaphore traffic signals.

Maggie N says: “Exxon bought out Signal in the 1960s.”

Laura G says: “It was a great marketing ploy. Probably one of the earliest and one of the most successful. – “Warmly acclaimed by thousands of parents for its constructive program of healthful activity for boys and girls and for the ideals of respect and obedience, helpfulness and loyalty, the Tarzan Club has, perhaps, done more to build up goodwill for the Company and its products than any other one factor.” SIGNAL DEALER NEWS Vol. 2 No. 4 Published by the Signal Oil and Gas Co. in the Interest of its Dealers ~ May, 1933”

Here is a close up of some of those boys in Tarzan outfits.

They even had their own membership cards:

A collection of six advertisements in which we can see how Signal really leaned into the whole “Power of Tarzan” thing.

2222 West Florence Ave (not far from LA International Airport) is now home to something called Love of God Missionary Baptist church. This image is from January 2023.