The city of Miami, Okla., may restore a 1929 Marathon service station on Route 66, reports the Miami News-Record.
And apparently it’s quite a find:
Eller said the property, currently occupied by Bravo Salon on South Main Street, could likely be the oldest Marathon station still standing and may be the only circa-1929 original Marathon station surviving in the United States.
“Research conducted with the National Route 66 Association and Marathon Oil Company of Ashland, Ohio has only tended to verify this fact,” Eller said. “Research has been unable to locate another circa 1929 Marathon gas station anywhere else in the United States that has not been substantially altered. I have issued a challenge to anyone who can identify a Marathon station older than this one.”
Plans to restore the station include the installation of replica pumps – a reminder to travelers of historic Route 66 that, in the 1930’s, motorists had to hand-pump their gasoline. […]
“The purpose of the proposed project is to restore the exterior of station, a national register property, to its original circa 1929 appearance,” Eller said. “The proposed project will commemorate the importance of roadside gas stations to the development of the national Route 66 highway system.” […]
After the restoration, the gas station will continue to function as a beauty shop location, according to city officials. […]
The beauty shop operator and her husband plan to incorporate gas station memorabilia in the interior of her shop.
Bravo to Miami and its preservation efforts.
I’ve been unable to find a photo of the station so far, but I’ll try to track one down.