Tag Archives: Gas stations
A gas station with a miniature Goodyear blimp at the corner of S. La Brea Ave and W. 2nd St, Los Angeles, 1931
How cute is this gas station with a miniature Goodyear blimp over their pumps?! It stood at the corner of S. La Brea Ave and W. 2nd St, which puts it not far from the La Brea Tar Pits. From … Continue reading
Richfield Oil gas station, 1215 Westwood Blvd, Westwood, Los Angeles, circa 1933
Let’s file this circa 1933 shot under “They Sure Don’t Make Gas Stations Like They Used To.” This was a Richfield Oil Station that used to stand at 1215 Westwood Blvd in the Westwood area of Los Angeles (near UCLA.) … Continue reading
Color photo of a Pacific Electric streetcar rolling along the Venice Short Line, Los Angeles, 1945
I’ll take any excuse to post a color photo of a red Pacific Electric streetcar. This one was rolling along a route known as the “Venice Short Line” which went from downtown Los Angeles to the beach via Culver City. … Continue reading
Gilmore Oil’s innovative Gas-A-Teria self-serve gas station near Farmer’s Market, corner of Third St and Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, circa late 1940s
The concept of drivers pumping their own gas was unknown until Gilmore Oil opened their self-serve gas station near Farmer’s Market at the corner of Third St and Fairfax Ave in 1948. I don’t know if they came up with … Continue reading
Photo of the Grapevine Coffee Shop and 76 gas station prior to demolition, 5 Freeway northbound toward Bakersfield, California, circa 1960s
“The Grapevine” is the name given to the stretch of the Interstate 5 north of Santa Clarita and south of Bakersfield. It’s the area of Southern California highway most likely to be socked in with weather during the winter, but … Continue reading
Two attendants service Dorothy Christy’s circa 1932 Auburn convertible at a 76 gas station somewhere in Southern California, circa early 1930s
Remember the time when you could motor around Los Angeles in your 1932 Auburn convertible, and you could pull up to a 76 gas station and two cheery, uniformed attendants would fill up your gas, clean your window, check your … Continue reading
St. Vincent’s Church on the corner of West Adams Blvd and S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, as seen from the gas station across the street, 1934
In a funny sort of way, this photo seems to encapsulate Los Angeles of the 1930s: Stunning architecture providing a picturesque backdrop for gas pumps at a filling station. In this case, we’re looking at the stunning St. Vincent’s Church … Continue reading
Children dressed as Tarzan characters outside a Signal gas station, 2222 W. Florence Avenue, Los Angeles, 1933
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 … Continue reading
A nighttime shot of the Lone Palm Gas Station serving Sunset Gasoline, Long Beach, California, 1934
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 … Continue reading
Looking north on Glendon Ave toward Lindbrook Dr., Westwood, Los Angeles, 1934
In this wide shot from 1934, we’re looking north on Glendon Ave toward Lindbrook Dr. in the Westwood area of Los Angeles, close to UCLA. With their soaring towers, those gas stations—Richfield and 76—really want motorists to notice them. We … Continue reading