In the first part of the 20th century, automobiles became so popular that places to easily obtain gasoline became necessary, and gas stations quickly popped up across the landscape.
Gas stations were often owned by the oil companies, but were operated by independent persons. The operator made a small profit on gas and, in most cases, had a bay in which he could service customer automobiles.
As time passed, gas stations became extremely common. A person standing in front of the package store near the corner of Conway and Main streets had five in easy view. And on Deerfield Street, there were 10. Other well-traveled streets had similar numbers of stations, and some were located in odd places that are almost comic now.
A person could become his own businessman by becoming a station manager and “renting” from the oil company. Us auto-loving youths were employed at a station so the older operator could perform more profitable repair work and not be interrupted by gasoline customers. At the time, it was illegal for an average citizen to pump gas, nearly all transactions were in cash requiring access to the register and the pumps were not user-friendly.
Many gas stations of the day had free services. The attendant, often in uniform, washed the windshield, checked the oil level and offered to check the air in the tires. Free road maps were available and, on occasion, the gas company gave away glasses or plates to customers as a gratuity and a bribe to come back again.
We teenagers helped the operator and used the lifts when available to fix our cars or change tires. Many of these stations became hangouts for youths after school or work.
Well, in late 1973, it all came to an to end. Three totally unlikely allies brought an end to having a gas station on every corner, and pretty much all of the smaller stations closed.
■The Saudi Arabians and their Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) comrades had a grudge with America and embargoed the supply of oil. The result was that little gas was available to the station operators and there were long lines at every station that had a supply available.
■The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wanted to see the stations with old and possibly leaking steel tanks in the ground close down.
■The oil companies themselves understood that a few large stations were easier and cheaper to supply than many smaller ones.
Many new stations no longer service cars. They are usually combined with convenience stores and sell food as well as gas. Some stations actually have no attendants as the newer pumps accept credit cards and gas is pumped by the car owner without any intervention.
So life in America changed very quickly for the driving public. It was a sad time for auto-loving youths.