This would be a real tourist attraction if it was still standing in Raleigh, North Carolina. The picture was donated in 1946. Anyone know anything about this?
Here it is:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11631
It succombed to what I call the "Blanding of America" When I was young, we had tepees for motels, Brown Derby restaurant shaped like a derby hat. We had Van De Camps bakery with a big Dutch windmill in front. We had Jack in the Box with a real Jack on the roof. We had the "Chili Bowl" restaurant shaped like a bowl. I could go on and on. Now in some communities, all the buildings look alike with a very small sign indicating what is inside. Even neighborhoods had different kinds and shapes of houses which were all unique. Now there are subdivisions which have many with the same floorplan, and similar look with all having the same kind of roof. You could recognize each make and model of automobile. Now they are all round. Hard to tell a Nissan from a Mercides, or a Buick. "Blanding of America"
Norm
visited it on a tour not that long ago! got a pic of my 73 mach 1 and my bros 69 Camaro in front of it!
The picture I posted was supposed to be in Raleigh. After some research I found out that they built around 30 stations like this. This is the one in Winston - Salem under construction using green bent wood.
With all the zoning regulations, sign size, building structure, size and number of flags, etc., it's no wonder we don't see individualization anymore.
The International Building Code is another nail in the coffin of American prosperity.
Dan, Since you were the first to respond to Lance, it makes me wonder; is there anything you can't find an answer for?
The 1 on Spraque street is about a mile from a good friends house who passed on a few years back.I wish I coulda got a picture of his 39 Chevy in front of it.I have 1 of my 66 F100 in front of it but that is kinda new.
I wish things could be that different again.
From what I understand locals telling me there is a couple more still around,but according to that artical the Spraque street 1 is the last 1.
I'm glad you posted that picture Lance and I don't mean to take over your thread, but does anyone know what kind of pumps those are? I have skins and a base for one of those and of all the pictures I've found on line, those look the most like them.
Thanks, Robert
The one in Winston-Salem, which is the one you first posted, is the only one like it in existence.
They do a good job keeping it up and considering the section of town it is in it is a wonder it is intact.
But I do remember a local modern station during the 08 time frame having some info on the counter about this station and a couple somewhere within the area.Perhaps they were not the "shell" design,but old related buildings.I will ask a friend about it about it next time I am in that area,as now my curiosty is up.He used to run a Esso station in the late 60's-70's.
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Winston-Salem I believe, from my museum working days, had eight of these stations.