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Stop 8

Stop 8 Filling Station Museum Quincy Fl
8A- Pan Am Torch Sign
8B- Pure OK’s Rest Rooms Sign
8C- Texaco Dealer’s Registered Restroom Sign
8D- Gulf No-Nox Sign
8E- Assorted Gulf gas pump plates

 

8A – Pan Am Torch Sign

8A Pan Am Torch Logo Sign

This metal sign, dating from the 1950s or 1960s, promotes Pan-American Quality Gasoline, featuring the company’s distinctive torch logo. It was used as an advertisement for Pan-American Gasoline at gas stations across regions where Standard Oil of Indiana operated.

Fun Fact:
Aviation-Inspired Marketing: The company’s name, “Pan American,” was chosen to reflect its global reach and ambition, aligning with the era’s fascination with aviation and international travel.
The torch logo, depicting a flame within a divided red and blue circle, symbolizes the “torch of progress,” a common theme in Pan American’s branding. This imagery underscored the company’s commitment to innovation and reliability, aligning with its role in oil exploration and production.
Fun Fact:
Transition to Amoco: In 1955, Standard Oil of Indiana rebranded its gasoline products to “Amoco,” phasing out the “Standard” and “Pan-American” names in many regions.
The Standare Oil of Indiana Company was known for its high-quality gasoline, often marketed under the Pan-American brand, and was involved in significant oil discoveries, such as the Hugoton gas field in Kansas, one of the largest natural gas fields globally. Pan American also expanded into Latin America, leveraging its expertise in seismic technology to identify new reserves, reflecting its global ambition during this period.

8B – Pure OK’d Rest Rooms Sign

8B Pure OK'd Rest Rooms Sign at Filling Station Museum
This 15″ x 23″ metal sign, dating to the 1930s or 1940s, once directed travelers to restrooms at Pure Oil stations, its bold blue and white design with the Pure logo ensuring visibility for drivers seeking a clean stop. Likely mounted near station entrances or restrooms, it reflects Pure Oil’s commitment to customer service during an era when road trips became a cultural staple.
Fun Fact:

Branding for Quality: Pure Oil stations often featured English Cottage-style architecture in the 1930s, making them visually distinct and welcoming. The “OK’d” phrase on the sign was part of Pure’s broader slogan, “OK’d by Pure,” used in ads to signify quality assurance.

The logo, featuring “Be Sure With Pure” in a circular emblem, emphasized reliability and quality, aligning with Pure Oil’s reputation for high standards in fuel and amenities. In this period, Pure Oil Company, based in Chicago, was a major independent oil firm, known for pioneering self-service stations and expanding across the U.S. with a focus on motorist comfort.
Fun Fact:

Cost Cutting as a Convenience: Pure Oil introduced the first self-service gas station in 1937, a revolutionary concept that prioritized convenience.

8c- Texaco Dealers Registered Rest Room Sign

8C Texaco Dealers Registered Restroom Sign at Filling Station Museum Quincy FL

This Texaco Registered Rest Room sign is likely from the 1940s and once guided travelers to clean facilities at Texaco stations.

Fun Fact:
Still A Good Idea: Texaco’s Registered Rest Room program, launched in 1938, required stations to meet strict cleanliness standards, inspected monthly by company representatives.
During the 1940s, Texaco was a petroleum giant, supplying fuel for World War II efforts while maintaining its domestic presence with over 20,000 stations by decade’s end, emphasizing customer service through programs like Registered Rest Rooms.
Fun Fact:
Wartime Branding: The green color on the sign was part of Texaco’s wartime branding, symbolizing reliability amid rationing and shortages.

8D – Gulf No-Nox Sign

8D Gulf No-Nox Sign at the Filling Station Museum Quincy FL

This porcelain-on-metal advertisement for Gulf New No-Nox gasoline is compact yet captivating piece from the early 1950s. Designed to be mounted on gas station walls or pump bases, its durable porcelain finish ensured the bright orange and white design endured years of exposure.

Gulf Oil introduced No-Nox in 1949 as a high-octane, anti-knock fuel, marketed to improve engine performance—a response to the growing power demands of post-war automobiles. By the 1950s, Gulf was a major player in the U.S., known for its technological advancements and bold branding.

Fun Fact:
Mike Tyson Approves: Gulf’s No-Nox was promoted with the slogan “Knock Out Engine Knock”.

These porcelain ads were phased out by the late 1960s, replaced by cheaper paper and plastic signage. In good condition, this piece offers a snapshot of Gulf’s innovative spirit.

Fun Fact:
Fit For A King: This sign is designed like a shield shape with a castle design at the top.

8E – Assorted Gulf Gas Pump Plates

8E Assorted Gulf Gas Pump Signs at Filling Station Museum Quincy Fl
This collection of 9″ x 11″ trapezoid metal signs, each bearing Gulf branding, dates to the 1950s and 1960s, a period when Gulf Oil was a prominent name in American petroleum.
Fun Fact:
Spindletop Origins: Gulf Oil’s history traces back to the 1901 Spindletop gusher in Texas, one of the largest oil discoveries in U.S. history, which propelled the company’s early growth.

Pump signs like these were primarily used at gas stations to identify the type of fuel dispensed at each pump. They were mounted directly on the pump, often at eye level, or on nearby poles or walls to indicate the availability of specific fuel grades. Some of these Gulf signs advertised premium fuels like No-Nox, regular fuels like Gulftane and other fuels such as Diesel, helping customers choose the right product for their vehicle.

The trapezoid shape of these signs was inspired by mid-century design trends, particularly the angular aesthetics of Googie architecture, which influenced gas station designs in the 1950s. The shape’s unique angles made the signs stand out against the round Gulf logo, creating a visual contrast that drew attention to the fuel grades.
Fun Fact:
Sign Production Boom: In the 1950s, Gulf commissioned over 50,000 pump signs annually from manufacturers like the Burdick Sign Company, with the 9″ x 11″ trapezoid design being one of the most produced due to its versatility. These signs were often distributed free to station owners to ensure consistent branding across Gulf’s network of over 30,000 stations by 1960.
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