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Mobilgas Service Stations and Maxwell Petroleum photograph album, circa 1930s

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Associated Photographic Service
Title
Mobilgas Service Stations and Maxwell Petroleum photograph album
Dates
circa 1930s (inclusive)
Quantity
1 album; 24 photographs (1 box) ; 10 3/4" x 6 3/4"
Collection Number
PH1432
Summary
Salesman sample photograph album of Mobil Oil and Maxwell Petroleum service stations around Tacoma, Wash. and surrounding areas. Includes photographs of gas stations in Tacoma area.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries' Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials curator is required to view the originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Languages
English
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Historical Background

This salesman’s sample photograph album of the Mobilgas and Maxwell Petroleum service stations around Tacoma, Wash. and surrounding appears to have been assembled around 1944 after a merger between the two companies. The album was probably designed to promote the advertising advantages and locations of the Maxwell Petroleum service stations, whose company headquarters was located in Tacoma, Washington.

A long history of breakup and mergers in the oil industry began on May 15, 1911, when the United States Supreme Court declared that the Standard Oil Company was an “unreasonable” monopoly and ordered the company to break into 34 independent companies. SOCONY (the Standard Oil of New York) became one of the new companies, which eventually became Mobil.

The Vacuum Oil Company was founded in 1866 when a lubrication oil was accidently discovered by Hiram Bond Everest in Rochester, New York while attempting to distill kerosene. Then, in 1879, the Vacuum Oil Company was bought by Standard Oil, but became an independent company in 1911 after the breakup. However, in 1931, Vacuum Oil and SOCONY merged again after the government gave up attempts to prevent it. With this merger, Mobilgas and Mobiloil became widespread across the country including the Pacific Northwest. In the late 1930’s, the iconic winged Pegasus signs became one of the most recognized advertising logos in the nation and most of the Standard Oil services stations became Mobilgas and Mobiloil stations.

To add to the merger story, SOCONY acquired the General Petroleum Corporation of California in 1926. In the Northwest, this California company was a longtime oil supplier and refiner to the region. In 1944, Maxwell Petroleum merged with the General Petroleum Corporation of California becoming one of the largest gasoline distributors in the United States and a part of Mobil, with an apparent need to promote itself.

The range of service stations represented include full service garages, grocery stores, dealerships, and even taverns fitted with Visible pumps, Clockface pumps, and Metered pumps, with some topped by Mobilgas globes. The photographs also show advertising signs, various gas station architectural styles, automobiles, trucks and surroundings in the Pacific Northwest during World War II.

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Content Description

Salesman's sample photograph album of Mobiloil and Maxwell Petroleum service stations around Tacoma, Wash. and surrounding areas.

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Use of the Collection

Alternative Forms Available

View the digital version of the collection

Restrictions on Use

Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Source: Zephyr Books, Kol Shaver, 2016

Processing Note

Processed by Arlene G. Cohen, February 2018

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 


2018 (Last modified: 1/31/2020)

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