36 Nebraskaland • December 2019
hen we think about landmark buildings, gas stations
probably aren't the fi rst places that come to mind.
But they've been part of life for more than a century
and tell a story of social and technological change.
These photos illustrate how automobile culture developed in
Nebraska.
In the early days, motorists bought cans of gasoline from
blacksmith shops and pharmacies. An Indiana inventor
named Sylvanus Bowser invented a kerosene pump in 1885.
Years later he adapted it as a gasoline pump, adding a hose
attachment in 1905 so motorists could pump fuel directly
into their automobile's tank. These curbside pumps became
known as "fi lling stations." Usually you found them at
blacksmith shops or general stores.
The nation's fi rst drive-in fi lling station opened in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1913. As the idea spread,
station owners began to expand the range of products and
services they off ered. They promoted themselves with
creative signage and distinctive buildings. Along Nebraska's
highways, some stations off ered "auto camps" or became
colorful tourist traps off ering attractions and souvenirs.
Most of the colorful gas stations of the early- to mid-20th
century are gone. Some remain in ruins, some have been
documented by various photographers, and a few remain as
functioning businesses luring travelers with nostalgia for an
earlier era.
N
W
The Old Filling Station
Having a women's restroom was
an amenity worth bragging about.
Arnold, Nebraska, circa 1930.
Archive.org
By David L. Bristow, History Nebraska
As automobile tourism grew,
some stations provided lodging
as well as fuel. Auto camps were
a predecessor of motels (short for
"motor hotel"). This one in Ogallala,
shown circa 1930, boasted heated
cabins and "free shower baths."
History Nebraska RG2105-3-71
