Remnants - Prairie Gas Stations Remembered

Remnants Prairie Gas Stations Remembered

k

Judi Kirk

Remnant

noun | rem·nant | \'rem-nuhnt* 1a: a usually small part, member, or trace remaining 1b: a small surviving group—often used in plural “Remnants” seemed the perfect title for a search that sent me looking for the remaining old service stations on the prairie. In Isaiah 11:11 it says that the Lord “will reach out his hand a second time and bring back the remnant of his people.” My search is an attempt to recall through photos the remnants of days gone by—to reach out and bring back the remnant of old stations that yet remain. Also in my search I uncovered another remnant, the people of Kansas. Here was a remnant of those hearty, vision-filled pioneers who struggled across the state in hopes of finding new life on the plains.

For generations since that, strength has been passed on to new generations of resilient Kansas citizens. Those remnants of people share their love of the land and the lore passed on to them freely. Those stories are rich and full of adventure and surprise. Privileged to hear them, I pass them on to you.

*Merriam-Webster Dictionary, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remnant, accessed March 2013

M

Introduction

emories are my constant companions! My childhood memories come to me in living color with surround sound and all the emotions of the time. How fun and carefree they are! One of my favorite memories is of the trips to town.

We had old, large cars with big, back seats. Mom put three, two-gallon coffee cans on the back seat so we three youngest children could sit on them and see out. That would be illegal now, but it sure was nice for us and kept us occupied. We would pull up to the Smiley’s station to fill up our gas tank, and the fun began.

The filling station (as we used to call it) was a place to talk and catch up on the news of the town. Lots of laughter and fun flowed as freely as the gas. When we pulled into the forecourt area, we ran over an air cord that triggered a bell-buzz sound to alert an attendant that we were there. The service attendant came out all smiles and ready to help. To fill the tank in the car, he first hand-pumped the gas into a large glass cylinder on the top of the visual gas pump. The glass cylinder held ten gallons of gas because that was a full tank of gas on a Model T. The golden-brown liquid gradually crept upward until the cylinder was full to the ten-gallon limit. Then the attendant put the hose into the car tank, and gravity fed it into the car. It gurgled and bubbled as its level went down in the cylinder. Watching it was very entertaining. I loved those old pumps with their bright colors and the sound of the gas and the long black hoses. Nearby was a 50-gallon barrel of oil with a pump; the use for that was a mystery to me.

The attendants also checked the oil, usually putting in a quart, and knew what brand you needed without asking.

The air hose was close for those soft tires that needed a little boost. There was usually a freestanding, galvanized tub with a ringer to squeeze out the wet chamois they used to wash to a shine the windshield and all windows. When not busy with customers, the attendants hosed down the concrete driveway and kept the place “lookin’ good.”

Remember those free maps? My folks always had a glove compartment full of them—most of which were too tattered to use anymore. We used to love to pore over those maps, the grimier the better.

One of the best features of the whole place was the metal cooler out front, filled with ice and soda pop. You could stick your hot, sweaty arm down into the ice in search of a bottle of Nehi strawberry pop. The shock of the cold was exhilarating!

No air conditioning at home or in the car made this a special treat. Those wonderful bottles covered with crystal beads of chilled moisture were filled with sweet liquid that glided down your throat, tickling as the bubbles burst in your mouth and the strong flavor woke up your taste buds. Like no other, this cool, delightful treat abated scorching days. Then, can you believe it? We got money back for returning the bottle in the wooden case sitting nearby—one whole penny! What a deal!

Steve, my husband, recently was eating some Spanish peanuts and had a flashback. He remembered the first time he ever tasted them. He put a penny in a machine, turned the handle and some Spanish peanuts came rolling out of the shuttered chute. He immediately fell in love with those delicious nuggets. Guess where he did that? Why, at Smiley’s of course! Another fun memory to treasure!

There were lots of stations in town and most were Momand-Pop businesses. We frequented one because they had the best gas according to Mom, so that must be right. Wonder why all those other people didn’t know that? We always left with a good, friendly feeling of being cared for in the smalltown kind of way. Wow! Where did the service in service station go?

The years flew by and things got modernized in the 1960s.

I forgot about the old stations and their charm. Then in recent years the gas stations at Cairo and the Byron Walker Wildlife Reserve drew my attention. I kept saying I was going to stop and take a picture. Guess what? I never did, and they

v

disappeared. It was too late. You can never bring back something when you wait too long. Why do we do that? We seem to think things will always remain the same, but they don’t.

This gave birth to the idea to seek out as many old stations as I could within driving distance of my home, Greensburg, Kansas.

I began asking around. “Have you been to Buffalo?” one asked. Another suggested Centerview, another Hanston, and a plan was born. Erica Goodman always likes an adventure, so off we went.

I’ve come to two conclusions about old stations: 1. Men love them! They smell of gas, oil, sweat, and dirt. It just doesn’t get any better than that!!!

2. Women love them! Old stations are so cute. With a pretty lace curtain and some dynamite paint, they can be transformed into anything from a hair salon to a pet-grooming store to an antique shop. The possibilities are limitless.

One Sunday as Steve and I headed to church, a song came on the radio. It said: “Keep to the old roads and you’ll find your way. Go back to the ancient past.” This is what I have been doing for the last year and a half; looking for the ancient past. One reason I love looking in small towns for stations is

the history that is so apparent and easily available. The locals have deep roots and know the history as they lived it or it was told to them. Life for these people is not all about their jobs or prestige, but about the people who have lived there. They have a vested interest in the life of that town, and chose to stay there and be connected, a part of a circle of friends. They exchange friendly smiles and warm greetings to passersby who know their names.

Phoenix, my grandson, once asked why we chose to stay in Greensburg. After some discussion he made this observation, “I know why you live here, because it’s so nice and quiet!” Exactly!

I have heard that a dream which is not a dream is a memory. That is what this book is—a collection of memories that almost seem like a dream. It was real a long time ago, but time has tempered the rough edges and made it a safe place where you can travel when you need solace. Service stations have provided this solace for me as I traveled the state connecting with interesting people and history so rich and abundant.

So I invite you to sit back, get a cool glass of iced tea, and enter my journey with me. We will travel through Kansas in search for pieces of history and stories of times long ago.

k “Looking back, we see how our grandparents seized opportunities, adapted to change, and overcame challenges. Such perspective bolsters our own innovation and creativity. Besides that, learning the history of our communities is just plain fun.

Judi gives us fun and perspective with this interesting angle on the age of the automobile.”

—Dennis McKinney, former member of the Kansas House of Representatives and State Treasurer

vi

REMNANTS: Prairie Gas Stations Remembered

1

Royalty Stations

M

y love of beautiful architecture was rekindled as I found more and more stations on my trek through the state of Kansas. The workmanship and materials used in the 1920s and 1930s are outstanding, with many stations still wearing their original façades today. The windows may be missing, the doors and ceilings gone, but the basic structure is still intact. With no plastic siding to take flight in the Kansas wind, many of the stations still stand proud with thick walls meant to last for many generations.

Among the hundreds of stations I have photographed, some stand out as unique and pristine, making me think of Kings and Queens. I am calling those my Royalty Stations. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have as we walk through my Hall of Royalty.

The King Glen Elder Castle Station on Market Street Seven months into this endeavor I was in Scott City, Kansas, contemplating my exit from the photography phase of the project. I was eager to begin writing. Jim Wilcoxen, owner of a station there, asked if I had been to Glen Elder. My first thought was “I have to stop photographing somewhere!” But after he talked about Glen Elder, I looked it up on the Internet, and my search drastically changed.

With an expanded goal in mind, I took off with my good friend Erica for another adventure. What fun we had winding through the beautiful wind farms and flint hills to find the small town of Glen Elder. It was tucked beneath the arms of Royalty Stations

1

Drawing by Architect Frank Slack, used by permission of Dan Winkel

the Waconda Lake dam, secure in the rolling hills surrounding it.

When we turned down Market Street, there it reigned. The castle-shaped building quickly evoked an expression of awe. This is definitely the king in my Hall of Royalty! I began taking pictures, circling the building and the detached bay. What a wonder! Eventually I meandered across the street to photograph another station. As I was getting back into the car, Erica said, “A man just went into the garage,” and my adrenaline kicked in. I rushed back and knocked on the door.

Dan Winkel, the owner of this wonder, escorted us around the station he bought in 1976. This is how I remember his amazing story: Ernie Norris was with the Army of Occupation in the winter of 1919. He saw a castle he liked in 2

REMNANTS: Prairie Gas Stations Remembered

Luxemburg. When he left the military he returned home with a crude sketch of the castle. He contacted Frank Slack, an architect from Beloit, who altered the concept to fit a filling station and drew up the floor plans, which hang in the office today.

The July 21, 1926 edition of the Glen Elder Sentinel gives a good description of the whole building process. Dan discovered the original, hand-written copy of this article in a time capsule above the pillar ceiling. The letter was in pencil. The whole project was started and finished in 1926, from the architect’s drawings to completion.

When asked why he built such an expensive structure, Norris replied, “I realized I would never build another building and I wanted one of which I could always be proud.”

Norris operated the filling station from its com-

Dan Winkel, Watercolor Portrait by Don Schroeder • 620-324-5469 • dkschroe@gbta.net

Photo used by permission of Dan Winkel Photo used by permission of Dan Winkel

pletion until 1969. That in itself is remarkable but understandable. Who wouldn’t want to go to work in such a gorgeous place every day? The station sat on Federal Highway Number 40 and was the best station on the route.

The stone was quarried close by, “on the hill,” as Dan put it, and is the most unusual stone I have ever seen—perfect eight-inch slabs with a gold stripe in the center. We had seen this stone in neighboring towns and wondered how they could cut it to center the stripe. That is amazing and beautiful!

Pictures available on the Internet show every step of the building process, beginning with the horse and wagon hauling in the stones. How could the wagon carry this weight?

The stones were custom cut to fit perfectly. All aspects of the process required great skill. No power tools or big equipment like we use now. Aging gracefully with its black highlights, the stone looks perfect even after 87 years. It has become even more beautiful with age!

The front pillars, which are actually 6’ x 6’ rooms, gracefully support the arched, drive-through portico.

Sand and broken glass texture the portico’s vaulted ceiling. Hm!!! Recycling before its day! Ridges extending from each corner of the ceiling meet in the center and contain lights that create an interesting pattern. An extra bonus is the embedded glass reflects and glistens in the lights at night. Dan turned on the lights, making visions of this magic possible for us. What a lovely nighttime aura!

All good castles have turrets! This one has turrets, arches, keystones, and solid stone enough to please the purist in me…and to ignite my imagination. When I gaze at those medieval turrets rising above the station, I want to don a flowing dress and let a knight on a white horse rescue me.

In 1929 the detached garage was built just as meticulously as the main structure with beautiful stone and detail. The original, old metal windows flooded the bay

Royalty Stations

3

with a plethora of wonderful light. The front of the original bay was once graced by an accordion door that folded from the center to the sides. What a childhood memory that is! Not only commercial garages but also private homes had those lovely old sliding doors that groaned as they folded laboriously to the side of the opening.

When he bought the station, Dan found a Derby star in the office, so he assumed (as did I) that it was a Derby station. The building offered two bathrooms, one for men and a much larger one for women, as it should be!

The entire structure measured 30 feet by 50 feet.

As Dan started his restoration he learned about old building restoration.

He spent many long hours of work, and lots of money to complete the project. I, for one, am happy he preserved it for us to enjoy.

4

REMNANTS: Prairie Gas Stations Remembered

Great care was given to the integrity of the property in the renovation.

The original old oak floor was curling when Dan bought the station, but he rescued it, by completely refinishing it to a lovely oak glow. Trimmed with spearheads that fit the theme of fortress, the new metal fence encloses the property and honors the boldness of the building. Colored and textured concrete sidewalks boldly imitate large slabs of stone.

Dan transformed the station into Castle Lodge where you spend the night in the south portion of the building and enjoy the tastefully landscaped, shaded grounds while lounging in comfort under the canopy outside. Tuned chimes ring from several locations as if to celebrate the success of two men’s visions.

In 2010 a tornado over the town of Glen Elder sucked the florescent light fixture out of the arch, and damaged items in the yard. The roof to the garage was lifted slightly, breaking the seal on the covering.

However, necessary repairs were minimal, and the king of all stations still stands tall and solid.

Can you tell that I loved this find? How can I ever thank you, Dan, for giving us so much of your time?

Jim Wilcoxen, you are my hero! Thanks for the tip!

Royalty Stations

5