Remembrances - Wanamaker's Filling Stations

When retired township school teacher Patricia VanTreese Gooldy, was a student at Indiana Central College (now U. of Indianapolis) in the late 1950s, she wrote a paper for her Human Geography class, “Wanamaker, Indiana, Our Town.” In 1980 she gave the paper, complete with snapshots of local scenes, to the Franklin Township Historical Society, saying “I had no idea what I had written, would become an 'historic document!'”

The whole account is interesting, and gives a good picture of Wanamaker at the time. “Fifteen years ago,” Pat wrote – that would have been in the 1930s – “the town had one grocery store, one tavern, one filling station, one confectionary, and one church. Now it has 30 businesses.”

I am choosing her comments about the filling stations. “A New Standard Service Station at the corner of Post Road and 421 has been in operation about a year.” (This would be what is now Logan’s.) “Ault’s Service Station is second oldest in Wanamaker.” (A photo of the station was shown last week, the building now Randy’s Pizza.) “A new Gulf Station was opened a few weeks ago.” (Shown below is Pat’s photo of it, now the site of the Dollar General Store.)

She concludes her comments on the growth of Wanamaker by writing, “Some think the new expressway will cause Wanamaker to stop growing, but those of us with faith in the future and in our fellow men know it will continue to grow.”

Pat’s photos accompanying her paper contain the only photo of the “famous” Pelican Diner known to exist. Just west of the bank, on Southeastern Ave., it was something of a legend, with its large sign, including the words, “We Never Close.” Pat wrote, “It has been in its present location for at least 18 months, complete but not opened, due to litigation against the owner.” The diner was moved away, but the sign remained for a long time.

Pat and her husband, Ray Gooldy, now deceased, were professional genealogists who were also instrumental in the organization of the Franklin Township Historical Society, of which Ray served as first president.

Above: Gulf Station on Southeastern Ave, now the site of the Dollar General. Photo taken by Pat VanTreese Gooldy.