former Tower Station and U Drop Inn Café
Shamrock, TX |
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The magnificent Art Deco Tower Station and U Drop Inn Café was built on Route 66 in 1936. The original design for the integrated building was a sketch in the sand with a nail by John Nunn who owned the café that was to be housed in this building. The building has incredible Art Deco detail and two spires – one over the café and one over the gas station. It was faced with glazed ceramic tile and trimmed with neon lighting. According to the local paper, the café was "the swankiest of swank eating places".
In the 1970s, the building was painted red, white and blue when it was converted to a FINA station. At some point, Conoco took over the building and painted it light pink with green trim. The faded paint over the gas station’s spire still spells out Conoco. The café and gas station both closed in the mid-1990s and are owned by the architect's descendants. The Shamrock Chamber of Commerce restored the building and uses the gas station as an office and visitors' center. The café has also been restored but is open only for special events. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
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former Good Luck Gas Station
Dallas, TX |
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This former Good Luck Gas Station was built in 1939. Its 35' tall tower was once outlined with red neon. The Good Luck Oil Company, which was founded in 1931, also went by the GLOCO name. They had more than 50 stations in the Dallas area at one time and still have a few in operation today. Only three GLOCOs were built in this Art Deco style. Unfortunately, the other two were demolished (one in 1970 and the other in 1982).
This station closed in the late 1970s. It remained vacant until it was torched by arsonists in 1992. Miraculously, it was then bought, restored and turned into office space. Although there is still general curvy Deco-iness to the building and the tower has been preserved, the original look of the building is lost. The front part of this structure which was a canopy is now an enclosed space. The rounded office window is now partially concealed behind this addition. The arched doorway which was once a service bay, now seems to be used as a garage. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.
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former Sinclair station
San Antonio, TX |
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This former double-canopied Sinclair station was built in the mid- or late 1940s. There was once a dinosaur on top of the rooftop ball. Later, it served as a Texaco and Conoco station. Gus Mann Automotive, a service garage, took over in 1962 and removed the gas tanks and pumps.
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former station
Austin, TX |
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This former station is now home to Nuevo Leon, a fast food restaurant.
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former station
Beeville, TX |
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This former station was apparently part of the same oil company chain as the Austin station shown directly above. This building has been vacant for years.
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former station
McAllen, TX |
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This former station is a nicely preserved example of this chain.
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former station
Laredo, TX |
former station
Sulphur Springs, TX |
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This Laredo former station appears to be the same building as those shown directly above, with one of the canopies removed.
I would be surprised if this Sulphur Springs former station was also produced by the same company and later altered. Perhaps there was a single canopy design. This one defies gravity without any supporting poles.
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former station
Pecos, TX |
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This Pecos former station has nice detailing. I have never seen one like it before.
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