The Front Street Garage, Route 66 in Galena, Kansas During the Model A Era Model A

[t-head]

Can you envision pulling up to this garage back in time in your Model "A"? Providing all sorts of aid to travelers on Route 66, it looks like the owner of the Front Street Garage was ready for just about anything in this photo from the 1930's. Learn more about it and White Rose Gas on The Old Motor were you can also see 100s more photos of other period filling stations.

[Steve Plucker]

Nice photo t-head...I always wonder if some of these buildings are still standing and in use today that we see in all of these old photos.

Pluck

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

As I am sitting in a hotel room waiting on rain to pass so we can go racing, I have studied this picture some and am curious about the true date. Although David is a good friend of mine and I would never question his wisdom, however I am curious if others think this is from the 30's, ...or is it possible it was taken in/around 1941?

Allow me to offer some of my thoughts...

In the upper left of the photo, there is what appears to be a Rubin & Cherry Shows (Circus) signbill that lists a show date of Sat April 26 in Joplin, MO (about 10 miles east of Galena). If we look at a calendar, it shows the two years of 1930 and 1941 as ones that have an April 26th that falls on a Saturday. One would assume the bill would be fairly current within a few months either way of that date.

The Model-A wheels on the lower left of the picture have three things that might give some clue. 1st, if it is indeed 1930, having new/used 19" wheels & tires just a few short months after introduction seems unlikely however I do agree it is possible. 2nd, the tire tread does not look like the Goodyear & Firestone treads that were O.E. on the new Ford, ...which might suggest the tires have been replaced? 3rd, the wheels appear to be cut-down to 16" size and do not have the space between the wheel hub and rim. Does this look like this to anyone else? Also notice the wide whitewall used Chevrolet or Plymouth wheels that appear to be more of the 16"-18" size instead of 19", -which would possibly date them more towards mid-1930's.

In the right side of the picture there is a Delco Battery sign, which I think is more inline with the advertising consistent with late 1930s.

Also while on the thought of advertising, on the glass above the US TIRES sign is a Perfect Circle Piston Ring sign with the slogan "Wake Up a tired engine..." which was consistent with their 1940 advertising. And, looking to the right of that, is that a neon clock hanging in the window? When did neon clocks become popular?

And finally, between the visible gas pumps appears to be a rack holding 1 quart oil cans. Aren't these quart metal cans more consistent with dating in the mid-1930s?


My own personal connection with Galena is that my late grandfather was born & raised in Galena from 1910 through the late 30s before moving to Oklahoma to work on ranches. He always recounted this town of Galena as very impoverished during his childhood. Probably a good environment for used tires sales!

.

[30 A Ripper]

Small world. My wife's Uncle, Lloyd Livingston, owned the garage and she visited him there from 1945 to 1952 after her folks drove down from St. Louis.

[EAK69]

Here is an article the current owner sent to me - I will have to get the actual paper when I see him next....



Ed

[EAK69]

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Update - we have a contract being written up as we speak to complete the purchase of this building, so you are now talking to the new owner!

We have narrowed this pic to one of three years due to the sign bill of the circus. 1930, 1941 or 1947. I am shooting at 1941 but it also could be 1947.

So the plans are this: Over the next 2-3 years I will bring the exterior back to EXACTLY how this pic looks minus anything sitting on the sidewalk (laid brick) or any loose tires. I need to have the sidewalk cleared of any items. Also, the building will be brought back to it's original color and ALL the signage will be brought back and I want it to look like it did when this pic was taken.
It will be a GREAT photo op until I decide to start work on the inside.

ANY input will be greatly appreciated on any of the items in this pic. I have tracked down what most of the lettering on the building is and most of the larger signs. Some of the others are becoming a bit challenging. Even the Coca Cola poster is hard to locate because the versions I have seen are with the lady's silhouette with fine details in blue and this one is just a plain black shadow without any details.

Ed
Route 66 World

[t-head]

Originally Posted by EAK69

Update - we have a contract being written up as we speak to complete the purchase of this building, so you are now talking to the new owner!

Ed
Route 66 World

Ed, If you can, contact me at The Old Motor and send me more early photos so we can update the story.

[Skrain]

Now if I could pull up there nowadays and fill up for $.13 a Gallon...

[FL&WVMIKE]

I don't believe that Prestone Antifreeze was available in 1930.
Also, I think that the Coca-Cola sign is from the late 30's.
MIKE

[Dave in MN]

T-head...thanks for posting this picture! We were in Galena this summer while on our Model A road trip. The building you posted is still standing but long abandoned. Click on the picture of the same building below to enlarge it.

We saw lots of buildings just like this as we made our way across the country. To all...if you want to see any of it...better hurry...every year more buildings are gone! We put on over 9200 miles in our '29 Phaeton...what a trip...smiling every day!

We have more pictures of some of the buildings along the way laced into the days we were on Route 66 on our travel blog...

http://travelpod.com/members/29-ford-model-a

Scroll down and click on the picture of us in front of the mountain scene to get a full list of our days on the road. Note: We wrote the blog so our friends and family could keep track of us...excuse some of the humor...you might have to know us to understand it. We took close to 5,000 pictures while on the road...about 600 are included in the blog.

Good Day!

[700rpm]

Originally Posted by Dave in MN

T-head...thanks for posting this picture! We were in Galena this summer while on our Model A road trip. The building you posted is still standing but long abandoned. Click on the picture of the same building below to enlarge it.

We saw lots of buildings just like this as we made our way across the country. To all...if you want to see any of it...better hurry...every year more buildings are gone! We put on over 9200 miles in our '29 Phaeton...what a trip...smiling every day!

We have more pictures of some of the buildings along the way laced into the days we were on Route 66 on our travel blog...

http://travelpod.com/members/29-ford-model-a

Scroll down and click on the picture of us in front of the mountain scene to get a full list of our days on the road. Note: We wrote the blog so our friends and family could keep track of us...excuse some of the humor...you might have to know us to understand it. We took close to 5,000 pictures while on the road...about 600 are included in the blog.

Good Day!

Dave, I followed your trip on your blog and thoroughly enjoyed it. And I just took a Google trip through Galena, and couldn't find that building on Rte. 66, but a little more cyber-wandering and I found it on the corner of Front and S. Main. Galena looks like a dyin' little town.

[1930artdeco]

Did anyone notice the mid 30's ford V-8 wheels on the right?-with wide whiet walls?

Mike

[t-head]

Good to here that many of you enjoyed this interesting photo, would'nt it be fun to drive up to this station for a tank of gas and a quart of oil?. We are guessing that it was taken in the "1930's" but judging by the tires and products seen in the photo it appears to have obviously have been taken later in the decade. The building still existed when the town was mapped by Google and there is a link to the photo of it on Google Street View in the post on The Old Motor.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by t-head

Good to here that many of you enjoyed this interesting photo, would'nt it be fun to drive up to this station for a tank of gas and a quart of oil?. We are guessing that it was taken in the "1930's" but judging by the tires and products seen in the photo it appears to have obviously have been taken later in the decade. The building still existed when the town was mapped by Google and there is a link to the photo of it on Google Street View in the post on The Old Motor.

Thank you David for posting this. Also for updating your webpage with the Gerold family's adventures and helping promote the beloved Model-A to your viewers. We truly appreciate all your efforts!!

[gweilbaker]

Could "rubber welded" mean recapped tires?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by gweilbaker

Could "rubber welded" mean recapped tires?

I was wondering the same thing?

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by gweilbaker

Could "rubber welded" mean recapped tires?

Nope, when Butyl rubber was introduced, it had the ability of being "welded". Patches on Butyl rubber tubes were an improvement over just gluing on a patch to natural rubber tubes.

[EAK69]

Bringing up this thread because I am in negotiations to buy this building - I know the owner very well and he and I will be closing the deal in the next month or two... and the plans for the place will be mind blowing (don't ask what I am doing with it.... yet!)

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

www.route66world.com WON'T OPEN! Bill W.

[t-head]

That, is very interesting keep us posted.