Post-War Modern

Initially designs changed little from simple box stations of the pre-war years. The late 1940s and 1950s saw a continued use of the box style, with an increasing interest in glass and steel and geometric forms. As the 1950s progressed, more exaggerated forms of Modernism were employed, breaking out of the typical rectangular box into unique geometric designs.

The image below illustrates an early 1950s box style gas station. This Texaco prototype, based on the International Style, employed large plate glass windows and a flat roof and abandoned architectural detail. Although the design is quite similar to many of the 1930s oblong boxes, it can be distinguished by the Texaco logo with stars and stripes.

International Style: Image courtesy of John Jakle, Gas Station in America, 1994.

The image below is representative of the Exaggerated Modern gas station designs prominent in the mid to late 1950s. Although these designs varied greatly, they can be characterized by the visible glass and steel structure and unusual geometric forms.

Exaggerated Modern: Image courtesy of John Jakle.