Oblong Box

In the 1930s, the gas station took on the form of a simple, oblong box. The architectural detail of the 1920s was stripped away, and all the functions of the service station were incorporated into the elongated, one-story box. Note the extensive use of glass, the porcelain enamel tile surface, the squared corners, the flat roof, and the overall utilitarian nature of the building. Companies eventually began to modify the simple oblong box, creating a distinct design that could be identified with their product. As the 1930s wore on, the simple box was replaced with the Streamline Moderne box, which generally had rounded corners and unique architectural motifs.

The image below depicts a simple oblong box station.

Oblong Box Station: Image courtesy of John Jakle, Gas Station in America, 1994.

The image below depicts a modified oblong box station. Shell has added a unique sign and slightly sloping roof to distinguish their station from other companies.

Modified Oblong Box Station: Image courtesy of John Jakle.