Love this little Esso Station from 1940! The Talbot Historical Society’s Past Perfect Museum database captioning says this was in Easton, Maryland but doesn’t give its location? The buildings in the distance may offer some clues? The photo is from the Talbot Historical Society’s H. Robins Hollyday Collection. Notice the gas station attendant trying to pump gas into the car by pulling the hose over the trunk! The gentleman needed to drive in from the other direction! The first self service gas station was opened in 1947 by Frank Urich in Los Angeles, California but pumping your own gas didn’t start becoming common until Joe Roscoe opened his self service station on June 10, 1964 in Westminster, Colorado! Do you remember the luxury of having someone else pump your gas? Facts: convenience.org.
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Bob Kopec says
They still pump gas for you in NJ & OR as required by state law
peter b stifel says
Until the mid fifties, if I remember correctly, the almost universal price of gas was twenty five cents a gallon or less——–
During the war,, gas didn’t cost more, but was rationed severely. Although my family was in the defense business (supplying much of the cloth for
military uniforms) we had to rent a house “in town” so that there would be enough gas coupons to get Dad to work and us kids to school—–.
I very well remember being totally abhorred at the
“rip-off” of having to pay thirty five cents at a “no other choice” gas station on the Merritt Parkway on our way to a Cornell – Yale football game. Adding insult to injury, I think we lost the game as well———-
Carolyn Jaffe says
I believe that’s the little building (added onto – after this pic was taken – for car repair services) located at the corner of August and N Hanson Sts. That’s catty-corner to the old Star Democrat (big block building), and just East of the blue water tower (with a crown)!
Am I correct??? Carolyn
John Hall says
I agree with Carolyn Jaffe that the property is located on North Harrison Street, just where, on the opposite side, the lane behind the Tidewater exits on the North Harrison. Of course, I wasn’t in Easton as early as the 1940, but I recall the property being referred to as a gasoline station as late as the 1970’s.
L Clineburg says
Is it possible the driver of the car backed into the pumps? Notice the snowbank in front of the carQ!