I always said that myself. I wanted to be born in 1913 like my grandpa. It is quite an obsession of mine to be looking up these old documentaries and daydreaming about those times. I'd give up all technology, but youtube is keeping me fed with all these gems.
@@cooljohn1977 I live in a small town in Ontario, Canada. In 35 years in this house I have never once locked my doors, and the keys are always in my truck.
The old "Colonial style" Texaco station. One of those stood in my hometown well beyond the Arab oil embargo in the early 70s which led to the demise of the full service locally owned "service station" My Dad owned a Texaco station from 1967 to 73, albeit his building was a more modern design. Back then, it was an easy way for a common man to realize the dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur. My Dad made it work, it wasn't easy and there were many weeks where we ate beans and potatoes, but eventually, he made it and he was so proud and happy. Thanks for the happy memories from this video.
@InfiniteMushroom: Love the screen name! There was a place in Orlando that sold 70's era items like black lights, bongs, hookahs, and more importantly, concert tickets. It was called the Infinite Mushroom. I remember the local pharmacy too. Being a pharmacist back then was way different. Just like the service station, that concept fell victim to government regulations.
@InfiniteMushroom: Dude! If you tell me you turned your ZETA 7 tag on the front of your car upside down after they went off the air in protest, I'm going to have a major league freak out. If you don't know what I'm talking about then never mind LOL! It's just about Rock and Roll. We ain't old my friend, we just had it better than everyone else. #boomersrule #rockandrollneverforgets #deadheadsforever
InfiniteMushroom: Brother, you just made my day. It's a downright pleasure talking to you. Sometimes the world ain't so big after all and good music bridges the gaps. Maybe that's what this crazy old world could use right about now. I'd like to buy you a beer but You Tube might demonitize us both. So I'm going to hoist one to the Infinite Mushroom as soon as they open the Bars back up.
Every now and then you see an old gas station, likely from the 50's, with porcelain-enameled steel panels on the exterior. There are at least two of these in my city.
+TheSpazModic There used to be one in Franklin, PA and it was torn down to make room for a Sheetz. I'm not sure if it was a Texaco station but yeah, the Sheetz there took its place along with two or three other buildings next to the gas station...
silverbird58 the rest of the world doesn’t need America’s dumb ass anymore and now YOU are the proverbial puppet on the string ...economy tanking wages stagnant and China positioning itself for global domination lmao...you thought you could scare China with tariffs but the 50s are over
@@thetruthandnothingbutthetr6484 A real American wouldn't talk shit about America he would stand up for his neighbor and fight for his country. A true American loves God family and friend and knows which bathroom to piss in!
@silverbird58 actually in the 1950's we were in Korea, still rebuilding Japan and Germany.. so much more around the world.. education is a bad thing to waste
My grandfather owned a company named service station maintenance and sales he sold to my father in 1968 my dad eventually sold it to a larger company in 1986
The only tool that remotely looks the same is the bull float. No power tools, jack hammer, power trowels...nothing is the same. That concrete looked so wet it probably never reached 3000 PSI even. If todays Labor and industries drove by we would all be bankrupt from so many fines. I really hate today's over protected nanny state....
Back in the day when a working man wore hats to keep the sun and sweat out of his eyes...Back when a service station was the place to go for full service gas, oil changes and lube, car wash, repairs and an ice cold bottle of Coke Cola...
All those hardworking souls of the now dearly departed could never have imagined 70 years later the entire world would be entertained by there efforts........wow!
@InfiniteMushroom You forgot to mention how the GOP defunded public schools so they could create stupid, mindless automatons who reliably vote Republican and don't mind having their pockets picked by rich assholes who don't give a shit about them. You actually think Trump cares about you?
So what's your major point douchebag ? Besides that you're obviously a spelling professor from youtube University. We're impressed. The difference between a hippie and a snowflake like yourself is what exactly ? They're all one in the same. Fifth Column scumbags!
I think it was just great that somebody thought to film this and keep a piece of history alive ,,everything done by hand too, no electric tools at all ,very cool stuff
This station is at the corner of 19th (Route 45) and Champaign Streets in Mattoon, Illinois. It was built by Texaco and leased to Charles McGinnis, who operated it until 1985. A picture of the completed station is here: www.pinterest.com/pin/486811040944304848/ The building is still there, but heavily modified. The roof is different and another building has been added to the front. The building for the white Conoco station with the curved glass blocks you can see catty corner from this station in the film is still there too and it looks much the same.
I hadn't watched this video in a year and came back to see it again...always wondered about the fate of it and glad to see your comment. Thanks for the information. I was saddened though as I watched the new construction go up that the old canopy station was going to be torn down after the modern station was finished.
A few observations: Many, if not most, of the work pants legs are roll-up cuffed. Most workmen of the day wore 6 or 8" lace up ankle boots. Everybody kept their shirts tucked in unless stretching had just pulled it out. Many are not wearing gloves. Most of the workers in this film use tobacco, either by smoking, chewing, or snorting dry snuff. Concrete slabs prior to 1955 rarely had steel reinforcement rod in them, allowing one man to insert a jack bar underneath a tear-out slab and lift up slightly while others simply shocked it with sledgehammers to break it apart... impossible to do with steel reinforcement. A properly sharpened handsaw with the correct set in the teeth is just as fast at cutting lumber on the spot as plugging in and dragging a cord for a circular saw. No logos on the caps or t-shirts. All the trucks and many of the cars have manual transmissions and no-power anything. No buildings in the view have air conditioning. All phones are inside and all are rotary dial. The service attendant washes the windows, checks oil, gas, belts, brake fluid, radiator and battery levels.
I was born a year before this construction, and grew up around real men, who took pride in their work, and were not afraid to work. Some people say there were no good old days, but I would strongly disagree with them. Then, men were men, and women were women, God fearing, family loving, hard working, and morally superior to anyone today. Yeah, call me what you will but that was the Golden Generation, and I am proud to have been fortunate enough to grow up during that time.
@@1982kinger they were still in Mexico waiting for all the work to be done so they could swoop in later and reap the rewards of everyone else's hard work.
This is when America was great. People took pride is their jobs and the quality of the product they delivered. Employers equally valued their employees and took care of them. All that is long gone. Very sad!
They still had the gold standard in '53. When money was actually worth something and the purchasing power of the dollar was at near peak. The federal reserve system has basically destroyed what is left of this country. Purchasing power is now at all time lows.
A time when almost everyone working in this film could afford to purchase a house - on one salary! Difficult to imagine today. Thanks for uploading this to RU-vid. Cheers.
@InfiniteMushroom , I do understand your point of view, but we have to believe in a New World. The History is made by people around the world, good people and bad people. Unfortunately the world is still controlled by the bad people. Power and Money is the symbol of success to them. Let's believe in a New World. There are still good American people and good Brazilian people. Best regards.
I’m tired of this lie that that time was good for only some people. Were there problems like racism, sexism etc? Yes. Are the same problems still an issue, yes. However across all groups of Americans, two parent households were the norm, morality was a concern, there was far less crime, drugs, taxation etc. Above all there was one word that really doesn’t exist now SHAME. People didn’t engage in certain behaviors because there was shame. Those problems mentioned existed yes, it’s just that they are at an all time high now. The media has made us sick as well. The intellect and capability level of a majority at that time was far higher as well. If we want to turn our noses up at America at that time, then we’re basically saying a nation of children who don’t have fathers in their lives, hatred of men, High crime, celebrating violent culture is superior. So, basically people who have bought into this lie just believe what the media spoon feeds them.
I don't know how many people realize that Corporations were in the 90% tax bracket back then. Everybody paid their "fair share" and everyone was HAPPY! LOL
Wow! Cannot believe how sharp and clear this home movie is. A wonderful look back. Wonder if anybody can identify any of the men in this video? Thanks so much for adding it to Good Old Days in Mattoon.
The carpenters reminded me of my father who did this and more back then...They had real hand saws that you had to use to believe how good they were to cut...He used that type Ready-Mix concrete trucks to pour concrete on his jobs...Boy times have changed in how its done today...
I worked through high school in a Texaco. By the time I was 16 I had worked at a Gulf station and a Philips 66 truck stop. The Texaco station owner was an accomplished mechanic who took the time to teach me along the way.
Ah the good old days, back when you could actually get good quality service by dedicated people. Today it's do it yourself because we don't care about you and only want your money. And back when buildings were made of concrete blocks, steel beams, and wood, that could actually withstand strong winds. Not like today's flimsy popsicle sticks, cheaply designed, crappy junk construction that get damaged by weak thunderstorms.
@@roxborotomm Don't try to tell me that today's cost-cutting construction materials are as sturdy as back in the days. Buildings are so cheaply designed and made these days that sometimes some of them crumble before they're even completed: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SukuIOGTcJs.html
You can see signs that say Mattoon IL throughout the video, I did some googling and found this photo of what the station looked like when it was new: i.pinimg.com/originals/64/a9/b0/64a9b056ebce82aa0f44b5ec97320c27.jpg And this is what is left of it today (go to street view): goo.gl/maps/riPB4neWCYfStY2Y6
A Texaco station of that era is now a Dunkin Donuts in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, on Rt. 213 at the intersection of the Old Lincoln Highway. It was a Texaco gas station until at least 1975.
When I worked for a big oil jobber we would take those old pumps to the landfill and tip them off the truck they had a lot of porcelain signs too. Never knew they would be such a hot item
Simply amazing. I own an apartment building that was built in 1953 in Southern CA. It always amazes me that some of the techniques employed in those days are still being used today. Obviously building science has come along way, but the hard work involved has not changed much. Bravo America!!
Hope a handful of these workers are still alive today. A few of them would be well over 90 years of age. What it would be like to hear this with pure sound, right?
I wonder if any of these men including the camera,am could have guessed that this would be seen by thousands of people 50 years later, on color home tv's with selectable content.
My God! How did these guys ever SURVIVE ? I don't see any hard hats, I don't see any railings around that roof edge, neither the masons, nor the guy on the ladder were tied off, and where was our dear friend the OSHA inspector when that guy was talking his own life into his hands and those around him when he climbed that boom to fix the cable? (ten feet off the ground)
I’m guessing Mattoon, IL, or somewhere close by. At 9:46, you can see the sign for the contractor, it says Mattoon, IL. You can also see Mattoon on the door of the blue truck at 5:37, and the on the red truck at 8:50. This is what it looked like in the 50s: i.pinimg.com/originals/64/a9/b0/64a9b056ebce82aa0f44b5ec97320c27.jpg And this is what is left of it today: goo.gl/maps/J3R8n7ep8pYCGbCa7
Looks like the same building, but drastically remodeled over the decades. The office that did have a corner door, looks like it was enlarged so that angle corner is now inset (term?). Roof probably had to be replaced at some point and a flat roof was cheaper than the original design.
@@abie1308 You have the correct intersection, but the building in the video is on the opposite corner, or kitty corner from the one you shared. You can actually see the building you posted at 1:14 of the video across the intersection. The Portion of the building being constructed in this video appears to be still standing. However, the older tile roofed portion of the building appears to have been torn down.
@@abie1308 The building you gave is actually kitty corner from the texaco in this video, it can be seen very well at 2:36 past the cement truck and still hasnt changed a bit. but the texaco is much different now, the only part still standing is what they built in this video, just the garage extension. www.google.com/maps/place/Scheff's+UPS+Drop+Off+%26+Printing/@39.4854916,-88.3777939,3a,75y,291.23h,88.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scle8SNtg5rNIBlsvsSmaxA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x8873110d13feef37:0x4048521a3f2f2466!8m2!3d39.4855825!4d-88.3781234
@@abie1308 Go up the street a bit, this looks more like it, at 513 N. 19th Street. www.google.com/maps/@39.4876349,-88.3777764,3a,18.3y,265.48h,89.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slSmAci4QnYicZe4aCFaWdQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Love the guy at 8:54. Pumps are active as this is clearly an addition being built. Guys are working and the Delivery just came in from the Texaco tanker earlier.
Thanks for posting this home movie in living color yet. It was a fascinating glimpse into the past. Those old cars were great. I especially would like to own that awesome looking red Studebaker pick up truck. What an odd way those men washed a car.
This was America at its best. I caught the very end of this type of lifestyle. We were free and the future was limitless. That type of attitude still burns inside me and i hope it does in you.I don't just miss these days, i want to recreate them.
This presentation presents the construction of a new Texaco station. Texaco is a major brand of gasoline used in automobiles and trucks. Shown here are cinder blocks, wooden boards, concrete, metal, hoses, various fuel lines, and men working to put the parts together, including bosses who are overseeing the operation. There is no sound to indicate what the men are saying so some of our RU-vid listeners may be disappointed that they will not be able to hear any jokes or any utterances in which workers might be getting chewed out.
As someone who finances gas stations and convenience stores and a lot of them ground up construction projects, I was thrilled and watched every second of this video. Gulf and Texaco were always my favorite brand and was sad to see the Texaco brand go for a few years but equally happy to see them re-introduced. Thank you for posting this!
I miss those old stations I saw growing up. I pass an old Shell station once a month in run down condition and being used as a repair garage. You can tell right away it was a Shell station by its design but in this case, it still has the "Service is Our Business" writing across the top of the bays.
@@joed9491 now you see how annoying it is when some one jams through a comment that no one asked about?? U don't like it do you. If you are going to make a comment expect comments. It's like me telling you I miss the 60s but u didn't ask me about the 60s learn to stfu once in a while
Before gas stations were built in the 1920s, gas was sold from houses along the side of the road. They were called gas houses. When my father was a boy, during the 20s, him and his friends called themselves the "gas house gang".
You could not buy a gallon of milk, a hot latte coffee, a mixed greens salad, a ham 'n cheese sandwich, beer or wine in that joint; just gas and oil and a Coca Cola or Pepsi, and free air for your tires.
The cool old gas station is gone, but this building isn't. www.google.com/maps/@39.4876349,-88.3777764,3a,18.3y,265.48h,89.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slSmAci4QnYicZe4aCFaWdQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
looks like people actually talked, now days it seems people buy stuff check out and leave ;l... i wonder how more social people were back then, then they are nowdays :x hmm :thinking:
Just another day at work for these guys back in 1953. I asked my Dad one time "What was it like in the 50's?" He shrugged his shoulders and simply said, "It was the 50's". This wouldn't be interesting if it was in black and white.
