Ambler's Texaco Gas Station
Encyclopedia
Ambler's Texaco Gas Station, also known as Becker's Marathon Gas Station, is a historic filling station
located at the intersection of Old U.S. Route 66
and Illinois Route 17
in the village of Dwight, Illinois
, United States
. The station has been identified as the longest operating gas station along Route 66; it dispensed fuel for 66 continuous years until 1999. The station is a good example of a domestic style gas station and derives its most common names from ownership stints by two different men. North of the station is an extant outbuilding that once operated as a commercial icehouse
. Ambler's was the subject of major restoration work from 2005–2007, and reopened as a Route 66 visitor's center in May 2007. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in 2001.
and Illinois Route 17
in Dwight, Illinois
, United States, Ambler's Texaco Station was built in 1933 by Jack Schore on property originally owned by Otto Strufe. The gas station is no longer in operation as a filling station, but when it closed, it held the record as the longest operating gas station along the historic Route 66. The station last dispensed gasoline
in 1999. In 1936, the station was lease
d to Vernon Von Qualen and became known as Vernon's Texaco Station. Over the next two years, Von Qualen purchased the station from Schore, and sold it in 1938 to Basil "Tubby" Ambler. Ambler owned the station from 1938–1966. Ambler's ownership was the longest of any owner during the most historically significant period; as a result, the station was known as Ambler's longer than by any other name.
The owner at the time of the building's nomination to the National Register of Historic Places
, Phil Becker, grew up living on Mazon Street (Illinois Route 17). He had been hanging out at the station since he was nine and began working at the station in 1964. One year after Becker's employment began, Ambler sold the station to Earl Kochler. Kochler sold the station to Royce McBeath, who ran it between 1965–1970. The station changed hands once again when Becker bought the station from McBeath on March 4, 1970. About a year after Becker took over operation of the station, Texaco
suddenly stopped supplying the location with gasoline
and Becker contracted with Marathon Oil
. The brand change was accompanied by a name change to Becker's Marathon Gas Station, a name the station would be known by for over 26 years. Becker operated the station, along with his wife Debbie, from the time of purchase until 1996. After closing the station, the couple leased the building out as an auto repair shop and eventually donated the building to the village of Dwight.
In 2005, a project to restore the old gas station began. The village of Dwight applied for and received a US$
10,400 federal cost-share grant from the U.S. National Park Service
and its Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. The grant required the village to present matching funds in the amount of the grant. The restoration's ultimate goal was to reopen the station as a rest stop and interpretive center along the historic roadway.
The combined grant and village-funded restoration included door, window, and roof repairs, along with interior and exterior repainting. The repainting matched the station's 1940s color scheme. On April 24, 2007, the National Park Service presented a plaque commemorating the restoration project at the station. In early May 2007, with the restoration completed, Ambler's Texaco Gas Station reopened as a visitor's center.
Following the restoration, the station evokes the 1940s; the interior is complete with a potbelly stove
, tiny Coca-Cola
bottle and antique Dwight Lumber/Route 66 advertising yardstick
s. Also inside are an old cash register, old 7 Up
bottles and a plaid stamp saver book. The restored station is owned by the village of Dwight.
of Ohio in 1916, and consisted of a small house-like building with an attached canopy
. The canopy extended out over the pumps to protect customers from the weather. The style was meant to evoke feelings of home and comfort in travelers and, in turn, to make people more at ease buying goods from the station.
The one-story building has no basement and originally consisted of only the house and canopy portion, and three Texaco gas pumps. The house, or main office portion of the station includes the interior office and the men's and women's restrooms. The men's restroom is accessed from the interior office and the women's restroom is accessed via an outside door on the south side of the building. The original "LADIES" sign still protrudes from the wall above the entrance. The entire house section of the station is 23 feet (7.0 m) by 14 feet (4.3 m). The exterior of the building is wood and sided with clapboard
, save the garage bay area which is concrete block. The bay was built during World War II, between 1941–45, and material shortages forced the use of the differing building material.
The building has a wooden, side gable
d roof covered with asphalt shingle
s, which extends over the station's canopy. The canopy supporting piers originally "flared out" and have been altered since the building's original construction. The three original Texaco pumps were replaced with 1960s era Marathon pumps, which are on display in the service bay. The Marathon change-over also resulted in a sign being attached to the roof of the service bay which read "Marathon," this sign is no longer extant.
Located on the property of Ambler's Texaco Gas Station, just north of the station, is a 24 foot (7.3 m) by 16 foot (4.9 m) wood clad, wooden frame building that once housed a commercial icehouse
. Though its exact dates of operation are unknown, it is believed the icehouse was established by a member of Jack Schore's family during the 1930s. While the icehouse was in business, there was a small pond
located about 200 feet (61 m) east of the property. Operators cut ice from the pond and stored it in the building until sale. After the icehouse ceased operation, a date that is also unknown, the building was used as a storage shed
for the gas station. The building features a double wall with sawdust
stuffed in between the walls to provide insulation
. The wooden roof has asphalt shingle
s. Ambler's Texaco Station listing on the National Register lists the icehouse building as a contributing property
.
in Illinois to qualify for listing on the National Register, they must show a clear connection to and raise feelings associated with early traffic and tourism along Route 66. A gas station listed for its architecture, such as Ambler's, must be a "good example" of an architectural style or type through many details from design to location, all of which must convey a connection with its historic appearance along Route 66.
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
located at the intersection of Old U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
and Illinois Route 17
Illinois Route 17
Illinois Route 17 is a rural, arterial east–west state road that runs east from a former ferry crossing in New Boston along the banks of the Mississippi River to State Road 2 west of Lowell, Indiana. It is long.- Route description :...
in the village of Dwight, Illinois
Dwight, Illinois
Dwight is a village in located mainly in Livingston County, Illinois, with a small portion in Grundy County, Illinois. The population was 4,260 at the 2010 census. Dwight contains an original stretch of the famous U.S. Route 66, and uses a railroad station designed in 1891 by Henry Ives Cobb. It is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The station has been identified as the longest operating gas station along Route 66; it dispensed fuel for 66 continuous years until 1999. The station is a good example of a domestic style gas station and derives its most common names from ownership stints by two different men. North of the station is an extant outbuilding that once operated as a commercial icehouse
Icehouse (building)
Ice houses were buildings used to store ice throughout the year, prior to the invention of the refrigerator. Some were underground chambers, usually man-made, close to natural sources of winter ice such as freshwater lakes, but many were buildings with various types of insulation.During the...
. Ambler's was the subject of major restoration work from 2005–2007, and reopened as a Route 66 visitor's center in May 2007. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2001.
History
Located at the intersection of U.S. Route 66U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
and Illinois Route 17
Illinois Route 17
Illinois Route 17 is a rural, arterial east–west state road that runs east from a former ferry crossing in New Boston along the banks of the Mississippi River to State Road 2 west of Lowell, Indiana. It is long.- Route description :...
in Dwight, Illinois
Dwight, Illinois
Dwight is a village in located mainly in Livingston County, Illinois, with a small portion in Grundy County, Illinois. The population was 4,260 at the 2010 census. Dwight contains an original stretch of the famous U.S. Route 66, and uses a railroad station designed in 1891 by Henry Ives Cobb. It is...
, United States, Ambler's Texaco Station was built in 1933 by Jack Schore on property originally owned by Otto Strufe. The gas station is no longer in operation as a filling station, but when it closed, it held the record as the longest operating gas station along the historic Route 66. The station last dispensed gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
in 1999. In 1936, the station was lease
Lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
d to Vernon Von Qualen and became known as Vernon's Texaco Station. Over the next two years, Von Qualen purchased the station from Schore, and sold it in 1938 to Basil "Tubby" Ambler. Ambler owned the station from 1938–1966. Ambler's ownership was the longest of any owner during the most historically significant period; as a result, the station was known as Ambler's longer than by any other name.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, Phil Becker, grew up living on Mazon Street (Illinois Route 17). He had been hanging out at the station since he was nine and began working at the station in 1964. One year after Becker's employment began, Ambler sold the station to Earl Kochler. Kochler sold the station to Royce McBeath, who ran it between 1965–1970. The station changed hands once again when Becker bought the station from McBeath on March 4, 1970. About a year after Becker took over operation of the station, Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
suddenly stopped supplying the location with gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
and Becker contracted with Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil Corporation is a United States-based oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Principal exploration activities are in the United States, Norway, Equatorial Guinea, Angola and Canada. Principal development activities are in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway,...
. The brand change was accompanied by a name change to Becker's Marathon Gas Station, a name the station would be known by for over 26 years. Becker operated the station, along with his wife Debbie, from the time of purchase until 1996. After closing the station, the couple leased the building out as an auto repair shop and eventually donated the building to the village of Dwight.
In 2005, a project to restore the old gas station began. The village of Dwight applied for and received a US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
10,400 federal cost-share grant from the U.S. National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
and its Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. The grant required the village to present matching funds in the amount of the grant. The restoration's ultimate goal was to reopen the station as a rest stop and interpretive center along the historic roadway.
Restoration
Following the restoration, the station evokes the 1940s; the interior is complete with a potbelly stove
Potbelly stove
A potbelly stove is a cast-iron wood-burning stove, round with a bulge in the middle. The name is derived from the resemblance of the stove to that of a fat man's pot belly. They were designed to heat large spaces and were often found in train stations or one-room schoolhouses...
, tiny Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
bottle and antique Dwight Lumber/Route 66 advertising yardstick
Yardstick
A yardstick is a straightedge used to physically measure lengths of up to a yard high. Yardsticks are flat wooden boards with markings at regular intervals.-Construction:...
s. Also inside are an old cash register, old 7 Up
7 Up
7 Up is a brand of a lemon-lime flavored non-caffeinated soft drink. The rights to the brand are held by Dr Pepper Snapple Group in the United States, and PepsiCo in the rest of the world, including Puerto Rico, where the concentrate is manufactured at the Pepsi facility in Cidra...
bottles and a plaid stamp saver book. The restored station is owned by the village of Dwight.
Architecture
The Ambler's Texaco Station is built in a common gas station style known as "house and canopy" style or "domestic style." The style was developed by Standard OilStandard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
of Ohio in 1916, and consisted of a small house-like building with an attached canopy
Canopy (building)
A canopy is an overhead roof or else a structure over which a fabric or metal covering is attached, able to provide shade or shelter. A canopy can also be a tent, generally without a floor....
. The canopy extended out over the pumps to protect customers from the weather. The style was meant to evoke feelings of home and comfort in travelers and, in turn, to make people more at ease buying goods from the station.
The one-story building has no basement and originally consisted of only the house and canopy portion, and three Texaco gas pumps. The house, or main office portion of the station includes the interior office and the men's and women's restrooms. The men's restroom is accessed from the interior office and the women's restroom is accessed via an outside door on the south side of the building. The original "LADIES" sign still protrudes from the wall above the entrance. The entire house section of the station is 23 feet (7.0 m) by 14 feet (4.3 m). The exterior of the building is wood and sided with clapboard
Clapboard (architecture)
Clapboard, also known as bevel siding or lap siding or weather-board , is a board used typically for exterior horizontal siding that has one edge thicker than the other and where the board above laps over the one below...
, save the garage bay area which is concrete block. The bay was built during World War II, between 1941–45, and material shortages forced the use of the differing building material.
The building has a wooden, side gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d roof covered with asphalt shingle
Asphalt shingle
An asphalt shingle is a type of roof shingle. They are one of the most widely used roofing covers because they are relatively inexpensive and fairly simple to install.-Types:...
s, which extends over the station's canopy. The canopy supporting piers originally "flared out" and have been altered since the building's original construction. The three original Texaco pumps were replaced with 1960s era Marathon pumps, which are on display in the service bay. The Marathon change-over also resulted in a sign being attached to the roof of the service bay which read "Marathon," this sign is no longer extant.
Icehouse
Icehouse (building)
Ice houses were buildings used to store ice throughout the year, prior to the invention of the refrigerator. Some were underground chambers, usually man-made, close to natural sources of winter ice such as freshwater lakes, but many were buildings with various types of insulation.During the...
. Though its exact dates of operation are unknown, it is believed the icehouse was established by a member of Jack Schore's family during the 1930s. While the icehouse was in business, there was a small pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
located about 200 feet (61 m) east of the property. Operators cut ice from the pond and stored it in the building until sale. After the icehouse ceased operation, a date that is also unknown, the building was used as a storage shed
Shed
A shed is typically a simple, single-storey structure in a back garden or on an allotment that is used for storage, hobbies, or as a workshop....
for the gas station. The building features a double wall with sawdust
Sawdust
Sawdust is a by-product of cutting lumber with a saw, composed of fine particles of wood. It can present a hazard in manufacturing industries, especially in terms of its flammability....
stuffed in between the walls to provide insulation
Building insulation
building insulation refers broadly to any object in a building used as insulation for any purpose. While the majority of insulation in buildings is for thermal purposes, the term also applies to acoustic insulation, fire insulation, and impact insulation...
. The wooden roof has asphalt shingle
Asphalt shingle
An asphalt shingle is a type of roof shingle. They are one of the most widely used roofing covers because they are relatively inexpensive and fairly simple to install.-Types:...
s. Ambler's Texaco Station listing on the National Register lists the icehouse building as a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
.
Significance
The building is a good example of the house and canopy style, and for its architectural and commercial significance it was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in October 2001 and listed on November 29, 2001. Commercially, the station is most significant for the services and products it provided travelers along U.S. Route 66, including fuel, oil and automobile repairs. The gas station met all criteria listed in the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property form as requirements for adding gas stations to the listing. In order for gas stations along U.S. Route 66U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
in Illinois to qualify for listing on the National Register, they must show a clear connection to and raise feelings associated with early traffic and tourism along Route 66. A gas station listed for its architecture, such as Ambler's, must be a "good example" of an architectural style or type through many details from design to location, all of which must convey a connection with its historic appearance along Route 66.
See also
- Standard Oil Gasoline StationStandard Oil Gasoline StationThe Standard Oil Gasoline Station is a historic gas station in Odell, Illinois, that lies along historic U.S. Route 66. Before the days of the interstate highway system the station served patrons along the highway's cross country jaunt...
- U.S. Route 66 in IllinoisU.S. Route 66 in IllinoisU.S. Route 66 connected St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois. The highway had previously been Illinois Route 4 and the road has now been largely replaced with Interstate 55 . Parts of the road still carry traffic and sixseparate portions of the roadbed have been listed on the U.S...