That's just plain gorgeous. The art of making a gas station a work of art. I just made a web search of "Shamrock Texas Gas Station" and there are quite a few photos of the neon all lit up at night. Wow. Makes me want to buy gas there.
When people had imagination and took pride in their creations. Before the cheapskate save-a-penny utilitarian yawns we endure today.
Just found this night shot I took of the same station in winter a few years later. Looks like it was a Union 76 station at that time.
"up north"? I have been to the true 'up north'. The UP on motorcycle and snow mobiles. I did cross the Big Bridge and motorcycle and ran around up there a bit. A lot of woods. Then when allowed on motorcycle in the '80s took the ferry over to Muskegon for a couple days. And last, 5 days in Detroit for schooling in Quality Assurance Machining. Companions went over to Canada for the 'shows'.
Marketing Slogans Esso: Put a Tiger in Your Tank Texico: Trust Your Car to the Man Who Wears the Star Others?
To put geography in terms used by Michigan natives and clear up any confusion, the following holds true: 1. Southern Michigan extends from around Lansing south to the Indiana and Ohio borders, except the Detroit area, which is Southeastern Michgan. 2. Mid Michigan extends north from a line through Lansing to around U.S. 10. This includes the thumb. While there are cities in Mid Michigan, a lot of it's rural. 3. From there to the bridge you're up north. 4. Cross da bridge and youre hangin' wit' Yoopers. Things are different up dere, eh? Subway still has horseradish sauce. Be sure to try a pastie- a meal the old miners could slip into their coat pockets in lieu of packing a lunch. It's a long ways from anyplace to anyplace else up there, and in a lot of places, the scenery is spectacular. OK, so there's a five minute geography lesson you won't get in school.
The real "Up North" is up here in Canuckia, home of Red Green, cold Canadian air, Canadian bacon, real beer, two class 1 railroads, and yours truly. No hosers allowed. We's already got enough of them... Spare the duct tape, spoil the job. How's it goin', eh?
Seems like Yuppers are from further north. Up Nort in Wisconsin is above a line from Green Bay to Minneapolis. Where I grew up.
Good day, eh? You're right, Mike. A lot of good stuff comes from Canada. For starters, nothing beats a Molson, and, yeah, one of my friends is a huge fan of Red Green. One other thing you forgot to mention is the reality TV you have up there- Ice pilots, Heavy Rescue 402 and Highway Though Hell. I'd much rather watch 70 year old airplanes flying around the frozen north or guys figuring out how to winch a semi tractor up a 50 foot sheer cliff than see brats bursting into tears on U.S. reality TV. Oh, and about the yooper accent- it takes a little bit from several groups. Way back, there was an influx of Cornish and Finnish miners. Blend that with the Swedish lumberjacks and you've got a really unique accent that takes some getting used to. Fortunately, I hung out with yoopers during my time at Ferris State, so I can understand them fairly well.
Yoopers, northern Wisconsin? Same folks. I think the only thing that changes when you cross the state line is the time zone.
But when I got up there I mostly met those like myself. From southern Wisconsin, Minnesota, northern Illinois and Iowa. ESCAPING.
Just south of Humble, Texas in about 1950. The owner, Rufus Hughes, was confined to a wheel chair but still provided full service.
I remember stopping for gas at a station in some small town on US 287 somewhere NW of Wichita Falls TX, in the early 90's, and not realizing it was full service! That was a shocker. The female attendant had to tell me that she would put the gas in the tank. Then she cleaned the windows and asked if i wanted the water & oil level checked. I politely declined. Then she took my CC and processed the transaction in the office. It was such a surreal experience for me as a young(ish) adult. Growing up, my parents always used self-service stations or pumps, to save money. Now that's about all we have. I guess some states have mandatory full service gas stations, "for safety". Right... More like for the labor unions; like states that cling exclusively to manned toll booths. What a pain... It didn't look like that Art Deco station was functional... No windshield washing fluid/paper towels, or CC machines on the pumps. Or water hoses on the empty hose stands, or trash cans. But it sure is beautiful. Is it really still a gas station or just a fancy convenience store? I guess it could be full service, and the attendant carries a portable CC machine.