There are so many things that we don’t know about life in America during the year 1939. Thanks to the work of people like Timeless Tours and the PA Tour Book, we know a bit more about what life was like in Pennsylvania back then. One of the things that we learned was that there were no longer any gas stations on the state line between Ohio and PA. Naturally, we wanted to know more, so we did some research and discovered there was actually a law passed in 1933 that prohibited gas stations from being built anywhere near a border. This was to prevent car clubs and organized racing from occurring across state lines. It was a time when Americans were really passionate about their cars, and it seems absurd that we might not have had any for racing or getting extra-curricular activities done. Luckily, gas stations have been around long enough for a few to remain open, and they continue to serve customers in need despite the odds.
The Last One
In August of 1933, the last gas station between Columbus, Ohio and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania closed its doors for good. The Sunoco Station in West Branch, Ohio was the last gas station built according to the old design before the law was passed, and it had been in operation for 22 years when it closed its doors for the last time, never to reopen. This meant that, until that point in time, Ohio was officially car-free.
The Early Years
The prohibition on gas stations near borders didn’t just apply to borders with neighboring states, but also to states that bordered other countries. This is because cars at the time were actually seen as an international threat, especially after the mass production and worldwide distribution of the Model T. It was during this time that the United States experienced an automotive crisis, with many citizens choosing to not own a car due to the limitations that they faced without one. The situation reached a head in the early 1930s, and a law was proposed in an effort to combat the issue. This is why border gas stations didn’t just close their doors, but remained closed even after the official end of World War II. People were afraid that the manufacturing plants that made up the bulk of the American automotive industry would disappear if they couldn’t service the vehicles that they produced.
The Boom Years
Thankfully, most states and cities didn’t heed the call to keep cars off their streets during this time period, and gas stations were able to open back up again. Cities like Los Angeles and Houston even experienced an explosion of car ownership during this time, as cars became affordable and accessible to the public thanks to the booming economy. The gas stations that opened during this time were a different story. They didn’t necessarily have to abide by the same rules as the rest of the industry, and they also had to scramble to find a place to pump their fuel. Thanks to the persistence of some entrepreneurs, though, gas stations were able to operate as usual and even add more pumps and islands to their stores, marking the end of the line for some and the beginning of something better for others.
The increase in car ownership during the ’30s and ’40s was a mixed bag. On the one hand, it brought with it greater freedom and opportunity, as cars allowed individuals to travel further and faster than ever before, leading to the development of new cities and towns. On the other hand, it brought with it greater pollution and danger as cars were driven more and more, leaving trails of oil and gas in their wake. Luckily, this was a generation that saw the importance of conserving resources and protecting the environment, and so they worked to change the way that cars were built and fueled, resulting in the modern gas station that we know and love today.
The Future
Thanks to events like the Great Depression, World War II, and the push for conservation, gas stations have been able to survive and even thrive since the early days of the automobile. They continue to operate and evolve with the times, changing with the needs of the public as technology evolves and improves. While there have been changes, there still aren’t any gas stations in Pennsylvania, meaning that, as long as cars remain a staple of American culture, so too will gas stations. We may not know everything about the automotive industry during the Great Depression and World War II, but one thing we do know for sure is that it was one of the most exciting times in the history of American automobiles.