Downtown Gas Station Inventory
Historic Gas Stations
1) The Owl (corner of 5th and Main) was a Mobil Station from at least 1960. The Owl Service Station was opened as early as 1919 from advertisements. It has gone through a number of brand changes. Most recent large brand was Cenex. Was operated by the owners of Pomeroy Foods as a convenience store and gas station until 2018, when they sold it to a Tri-Cities owner. The convenience store was closed after about a year, but gas is available from the pumps even though the store appears to be closed.
1b) I'm not sure if it qualifies as a gas "station" but during the 1920s and 1930s, Butler Motor Co. in the Parlet Building (currently [2022] Farm and Home Supply) sold Red Crown gasoline and later Shell from a pump right on the curb.
2) Summers' Shell at southwest corner of 6th and Main. Closed pre-2000, demolished after 2007. (Now {2020} Tom Herres' newer shop.) Possibly where Mission Shell moved after Ferd Herres purchased their land? [This may have turned intio Summers' across the street by their 1975 advertisement.]
3) Mission Shell northeast corner of 6th and Main. It opened in 1929 and was demolished in 1972 or '73. (now Tom Herres' shop )
4) Started in 1930 as Schneckloth/Waldher Service Station on the northwest corner of 10th and Main. It was Curran's Texaco through at least the latter 1950's. Apparently Bill's Richfield at Christmas, 1969, and Bill's Arco a year later. During the early 2000's, it was the office/warehouse for Warren and Warren Construction. Then it was the office for the City/County Fire Department, now it's storage for the fire department.
4B) Burke Brothers Union 76 -- later Rich's 76 Service (in 1970 Christmas ad)
5) Bagby's Lone Star (18th and Main Street). Now (as of 2020) the Alibi Tavern.
7) Kozy Korner Kafe and Texaco -- east end of town, between 20th and 23rd Streets. Started as Huyette's Kozy Korner in 1950. Purchased by the Luecks in 1968. Closed for numerous years.
There is a Bill's ARCO in the 1970 Christmas advertising issue of the E-W.
Currently Open Gas Stations
6) Coleman Oil -- located on the southeast corner of 18th and Main, across the street from
8) Pomeroy Grange/Cenex/4 Star
An article in the August 23, 1924, issue of the East Washingtonian talks about the success of E.W. Dickson's Standard Oil distributorship.
A Chamber advertisement in the November 24, 1960, issue of the EW mentioned: Turner's Mission Shell Service, Ledgerwood's Richfield Service, Owl Service Station, and Williams Texaco Service. Mission Shell Service had a "mini-ad" on the page. (need page with ad and link)
Front page story on February 15, 1971
Gas War Flares In Pomeroy and In Other Places
The on-again, off-again gasoline war which has been waging all over the area for the last several years was on again this week, and it was more universal than usual.
Gasoline was selling in Pomeroy at 31.9 cents a gallon for regular, while in Lewiston-Clarkston regular grade gas prices ranged from 28.0 to 34.9.
In Spokane, where a gas war has been brewing for weeks, a few private stations dropped their prices to 25.9 cents a gallon fpr regular, although more common prices ranged from 27.9 to 30.9. Premium grades were ranging from 28.9 to 33.9 in Spokane.
In Spokane gas wars are caused by private owner stations undercutting leased stations, operators of which must pay about three cents a gallon to the company for their leases. The petroleum companies subsidize the leased stations in these wars by cutting the wholesale rate of gasoline. The leasers still pay the three cents per gallon.
Lewiston service station operators would not discuss the renewed war. They said they get their orders from district directors who are thousands of miles from Lewiston in some cases.
Several Pomeroy dealers said competition from other stations, especially Lewiston self-service stations, draws prices down here. One dealer reminded, however, that competition is not a bad thing. "If there were only one station in Pomeroy, there never would be a gas war."
From an inside page of the November 29, 1973, EW:
Gas, Oil Ceiling Price Stickers are Reissued
Because of recent changes in the Cost of Living Council's Phase IV petroleum regulations, all gasoline and diesel fuel retailers must obtain new ceiling price stickers for each pump or grade of petroleum sold, according to Michael Sassi, district director of Internal Revenue.
The new stickers must be posted on pumps by 11:59 p. m. Nov. 21, 1973.
New stickers (CLC-GAS-9004) and instructiona 1-compu-tation forms (CLC-GAS-9004A) may be picked up at IRS offices, at Walla Walla, 13 West Birch; open Fridays 9 a. m. to 4 p. m., Pasco or Spokane.
Written requests for stickers should be sent to the Seattle IRS office only. Retailers who call or write for stickers should specify liow many they need. IRS toll-free number is 1-800-732-1040.
The new stickers should be posted on each pump in a prominent position where they can easily be seen by the customer, The old stickers should then be removed.
If more than one grade of gas is sold from a pump, a separate sticker must be posted for each grade. Stickers must contain the new ceiling price and the minimum octane of the gasoline.
Under revised Cost of Living Council rules, effective Nov. 1, gasoline and diesel fuel retailers are permitted to increase their May 15, 1973, selling price to reflect their increased petroleum costs on a dollar-for-dollar, pass-through basis. This can be done no more than once a month. Whenever an adjustment is made to the maximum permissible price, each retailer must adjust his posted price.
The reverse side of the posting instruction sheet has a form which dealers must use to compute their ceiling prices, Sassi said. This sheet, like those previously used, must be retained at service stations for IRS inspection to determine compliance with the new regulations.
Front page of the EW, December 6, 1973:
Gasoline Available Here
Despite Sunday Closure
Several local service station operators went along with the voluntary Sunday closure requested by President Nixon, but gasoline was available if you needed and the closure didn't appear to have a great effect on travel.
Stations closed last Sunday included Rich's 76, Owl Mobil, Grange Supply, Kozy Korner anbd Bagby's Lone Star, although Kozy Korner and Bagby's were open for business but not selling gas. Grange and Mobil are normally closed on Sundays.
Open were Summers Shell, Dodge Junction, Central Ferry Store and Pataha Store, but Steve Stilson at Pataha said he won't be selling gas next Sunday.
Mrs. Larry Lueck at Kozy Korner noted that closing the gas pumps cut business in half for the day.
Government officials were worried this week that the 50 mile an hour limit was not saving as much fuel as needed and ther speed limit would probably be raised to 55 nationally, resulting in even less savings.
Higher prices for gasoline are advertised as the main concept now favored by the Nixon administration, with rationing only as a last resort.
Area Traffic Cameras
Alpowa Summit
Delaney (20+ miles W on
Highway 12)
SE Washington Traffic
Alerts
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