Freitag's Pure Oil Service Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Freitag's Pure Oil Service Station
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1323 9th St. Monroe, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| Built | 1935 |
| Architect | Carl August Petersen |
| Architectural style | English Cottage |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000139 |
| Added to NRHP | January 15, 1980 |
Freitag's Pure Oil Service Station is a special building in Monroe, Wisconsin. It was built in 1935 as a gas station but looks like a charming English cottage! The Pure Oil Company designed it this way. This unique station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 because of its interesting design and history.
A Unique Gas Station Design
In the early days, many gas stations were just simple shacks. But the Pure Oil Company wanted their stations to look different and inviting. In the 1920s, their main engineer, Carl August Peterson, came up with a special design. He created stations that looked like old English cottages.
The "Cottage" Style
These cottage-style stations had steep roofs and brick walls. They also featured tall chimneys, flower boxes, and fancy ironwork. This design made them look like a cozy home, not just a place to get gas. This style is known as Tudor Revival, which copies old English building designs.
Pure Oil built hundreds of these stations across the United States from 1927 through the 1930s. Having a standard look helped customers know what to expect from Pure Oil. The "cottage" style also helped the stations fit in, even in neighborhoods where people lived.
Freitag's Station
Freitag's service station in Monroe is one of these special cottage-style buildings. Besides the main office, it had a "lubridome" section. This was where cars were serviced and repaired.
The station was built by C. W. (Slim) Freitag in 1935. Slim Freitag was a pilot and played the trombone in a big band. He built the station for his father to run. The land and building together cost about $16,000 back then. Later, Pure Oil merged with another company called Union 76. After that, the station became part of the Union 76 brand.
