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

[Terry,NJ]

It reminds me of a store on Greenwood Ave , right around the corner from William st, East Orange, NJ. They're not identical but very similar. I used to walk past it going to the Oval playground. I went to Greenwood school school right across the street. Anybody else know it? I didn't think so. We moved out when I was seven. It blows my mind, the freedom we had then as compared to today. I was 5-6 years old and had a radius range of 4-5 blocks in any direction. Not today!
Terry

[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]

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

[Mike V. Florida]

Best of luck and keep us posted.

[Mafman]

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Yes, please keep us posted. Love that building!

[Steve Plucker]

If you have a contact who can go to the library and if the library, or a major university, has the old newspapers of the time period, you can look up Saturday April 26, 1930, 1941, 1947 and see if they reported on the circus.

Pluck

[Tom Wesenberg]

I see the window on the left says "RUBBER WELDERS".
I wonder what that is, unless it means hot patching inner tubes.

[Gold Digger]

When I was still a pup, A man in our community had an old beat up 30 or 31 model AA log truck with new looking front tires. Back then coffee, potted meat and Vienna sausage came in a can that used a key to open it with and left a real sharp edge on top, also remember stepping on a coffee can once and nearly cutting my little toe off, but back to my story. This logger ran over a Vienna can and cut a perfect round whole in the front tire. In the next town was a place called O.K. Rubber Welders and he had the tire fixed there to every ones surprise. It was the talk of the town that it wouldn't hold up for long. Every time us kids would see this old truck we would go and inspect the tire and to every ones surprise he ran that tire till the strings were showing. I think that was what "rubber welding" is about.

[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.

[glenn in camino]

The Old Motor is a great site with wonderful photos and videos.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Love seeing these photos.

Enarco gasoline was the old National Refining Company, or N-R-'Co'. Boy With Slate.

Those pumps are Wayne Cut 515 'Tall Boys' with the high cast base, topped by glass bodied White Rose Enarco globes. A much sought after set up today!! Worth a good chunk of change!

[Vanspeed]

As a collector of soda signs I would say that the coca cola sign is mid 30's to late 30's. Great picture. Now to make my shop look like that!

[Doug in NJ]

Originally Posted by Gold Digger

When I was still a pup, A man in our community had an old beat up 30 or 31 model AA log truck with new looking front tires. Back then coffee, potted meat and Vienna sausage came in a can that used a key to open it with and left a real sharp edge on top, also remember stepping on a coffee can once and nearly cutting my little toe off, but back to my story.

You know, I was recently wondering if they still sold anything (hams? sardines?) in those cans that had the little key attached to the lid.
Sadly, I couldn't find anything in the local supermarket.
Another bit of technology is no longer with us...

Doug

[FL&WVMIKE]

EAK69 ......................
Sure hope that you buy the building and save it !
I would ALMOST give you a pair of matching, upright porcelain tire signs to go in front of the building, just like in the photo.
MIKE (mikeburch)

[1930artdeco]

Way to go 66! Another historic building does not bite the dust-thank you. One of my goals is to take a month off and tour Route 66 in my A.

Mike

[EAK69]

Update:
It has been 2 years since I have purchased the building and a lot of progress has happened.
I will be there in 2 weeks to do some more work on it but I am focusing on the facade and most of it is structural - so you will not see any of the work... yet!

The original photo was taken in 1947 - I have confirmed this and it was a Phillips 66 gas station from 1930 to the early 1940's when it switched to a White Rose gas station. During WWII August Bradshaw (owner at the time) focused on new and used tires and tire recapping as his main money maker. These photos were right around 1947 as well.






Me and a good friend outside of the garage (as it looks today):



And then the garage in 1950 and 1952ish time period:




I have SO MANY signs repopped as I will not put original signs outside of the building as 'sticky fingers' will find a new home for them:




Found and bought the exact same 1922 National cash register as shown in the interior photo:




I am also restoring (myself) the old neon sign which hung outside since the early 1940's.




John Lassater of the movie CARS said this of the building:
“…little things and little moments really influence the entire project. It could be either a character or a place. In Galena Kansas, there is this brick building as old Route 66 turns onto the main street of the town. It has multiple old signs painted on it that have faded with the years. It was a tremendous influence for the town Radiator Springs in the movie. Right across the street, in an abandoned gas station, were these rusty old trucks. One of them was a tow truck which became the origin of the very popular character in the film, Tow Mater, and he is the sweetest character. Mater is voiced by Larry the Cable Guy.” – Summer 2006, Volume 13 / Number 3 edition of Route 66 Magazine

My 'across the street' neighbors:


And I am trying to keep a running tab on the work done on my Route 66 World site:
http://www.route66world.com/front-street-garage/

I know it is a lot for an update but I can not recall ever when I have heard someone complain about seeing too many photos!!!

There is a lot of work ahead of me but love every minute of it!!

[Mike V. Florida]

Glad to hear things are moving along!!

[rileyracing]

That is really awesome!

Way to keep the torch burning... do you have a gofundme page or someplace where people can send contributions to help? I don't have much, but every little bit helps, right?

Thanks!

jk

[31 Model A]

Great thread and I hope someday for Sarah and I to stop by and say hello......many thanks to you for taking on the restoration, it's very appreciated by all those that want to see where they want to go, back in History. More preferred today than going further into the future...IMO.