Fill 'er Up: The Glory Days of Wisconsin Gas Stations

Since their unremarkable beginnings as cheap shacks and curbside pumps, gas stations have taken many forms and worn many guises: pagodas, cottages, and teepees; Tudor Revival and Streamline Moderne; clad with wood, stucco, or gleaming porcelain.

Born at the dawn of the automobile age, the gas station evolved in tandem with the rest of America, responding with architectural and operational changes to the Depression, World War II, the post-war boom and the new interstate highway system, and the environmental movements of the end of the twentieth century. Fill ’er Up traces the history of these ubiquitous buildings, taking readers on a journey to nearly sixty historic stations still standing in Wisconsin. Authors Jim Draeger and Mark Speltz also share the stories of the people who ran these stations?often known as neighborhood meeting places.

Fill ’er Up provides a glimpse into the glory days of gas stations, when a visit meant service with a smile, a windshield wash, and the cheerful question, “Fill ’er up?”