Shell Service Station (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Shell Service Station
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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This Shell Service Station is the only one to survive today from a total of eight built in the Winston-Salem area
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | Sprague and Peachtree Sts., NW, Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1930 |
| Built by | Blum, Frank L.,& Co. |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001322 |
| Added to NRHP | May 13, 1976 |
The Shell Service Station in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is a very unique building. It used to be a gas station and was built in 1930. A local company called Quality Oil Co., which sold Shell products, decided to build it. They wanted to make sure everyone in Winston-Salem knew about the Shell brand.
This building is a great example of novelty architecture. This means it's designed to look like something else – in this case, a giant shell! Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 13, 1976. You can find it in the Waughtown-Belview Historic District.
The Story of the Shell Station
This amazing one-story Shell station looks just like a huge scallop shell. It was built in 1930 by R.H. Burton and his son, Ralph. They built it at Sprague and Peachtree Streets in Winston-Salem.
The owners of the oil company had a clever idea to get more customers. They decided to build several gas stations that looked like giant shells. They built at least eight of these unique stations around the Winston-Salem area. But the station at Sprague and Peachtree is the only one that is still standing today! This shell-shaped station shows how some companies used very direct and fun advertising in the 1920s and 1930s.
Saving a Landmark: The Restoration Project
Over the years, this special Shell station needed some care. An organization called Preservation North Carolina stepped in to help. This group works hard to save important historic places. They spent one year and $50,000 to bring the landmark station back to its original condition.
Workers carefully removed many layers of old, faded yellow paint. Underneath, they found the Shell's original bright yellow-orange color! The old front door was carefully fixed, and a crack that had been poorly repaired with black tar was properly mended.
They also rebuilt a wooden, trellis-covered area. This part used to be a shaded spot where cars could be washed or serviced. To complete the restoration, the oil company donated restored gas pumps and new lamp posts that looked just like the old ones. Today, this historic Shell station is used as a small office and a museum for Preservation North Carolina.
