Along the Lincoln Highway in Bedford, PA, there’s a remnant of a time when automobile travel was in full swing and businesses took pride in creating unique spaces to stop for a while.
This is Dunkle’s Gulf Station which was opened by Dick Dunkle in 1933, according to the sign out front.
Isn’t it fabulous?
The tile facade in all its art deco glory was designed to draw the eye and cause a motorist to pull in and ask the attendant to “fill’er up!” They also repaired cars and could tip off your fluids and air up the tires while you waited.
Man, what I wouldn’t give for a full service gas station sometimes when it’s raining or humid or when I’m dressed up to be somewhere.
Mr Dunkle is now gone as is his son who inherited the place so it is now closed. I worry for its future but hope someone with deep pockets finds a way to repurpose the space for future generations to enjoy. It is truly the most beautiful service station I’ve seen and it’s worth saving.
The Lincoln Highway was the first coast-to-coast road in America, cutting through fourteen states over more than 3,000 miles. Long ago replaced by interstate and no longer used for those long road trips, much of the Lincoln Highway still exists and makes for amazing off the beaten path exploring. I would love to hear stories of things you have seen along the Lincoln Highway in your travels.
i love these posts of buildings from bygone days. I hope it gets used as something appropriate.
Me too, friend. Me too. It’s an amazing building.
What a great building! I am not all that familiar with the Lincoln Highway, but it sounds interesting. I hope someone turns this gas station into something cool. I’d like a breakfast place. I bet you’d like it to be a bookstore!
How about pancakes and books?
That really is an eye-catching and lovely building. I don’t really know the Lincoln Highway. I’ll have to look it up!
There’s a lot of history to that road. You’ll enjoy learning about it!
What an amazing piece of history! I hope it’s turned into something grand for the neighborhood!
Me too. It would be such a shame to have it left empty.
There were some amazing service stations built in that era.
Yes there were!!
I’ve stopped there several times in the past, but my stop in June was the first since it closed, and it was a very sad occasion. For commenters who have expressed interest in the Lincoln Highway, I suggest a visit to lincolnhighwayassoc.org. At least one full-service station from the same era is still operating on the LH. That’s Kensinger’s in Grand Island, NE, which is just three years newer than Dunkle’s—1936 vs. 1933.
And now I have a reason to go to Nebraska!