Calling all early 50's rural Peoria area Texaco & Sinclair stations (Oak Park: home, living)

[xrhonda91]

Hello,

Trying to find old family friends who had a rural Texaco or Sinclair gas station next door to their home in early 1950's, but don't remember name or nearby town... But it was somewhere around Peoria... In the 60's another business was put into building and the round sign was painted over white...

Maybe you, your parents, or grandparents may remember one or more of these stations and I could use info to either eliminate or locate areas to search ?

Very possible the place has been developed over the years and really need your help.

Thanks very much.

John

[xrhonda91]

Still searching after many years...

Put together this composite picture on computer which closely resembles their heating (and possibly plumbing) business back in 1969-70.

It could have been anywhere within a 90 mile radius of Peoria...

Please share this with anyone that you think might remember...

Thanks very much for any help as I sure appreciate it !

John

[xrhonda91]

Have put a lot of time into search for this place---still have hope that someone here will recognize the "composite" picture in previous post. Very possible that it no longer exists due to development, but would still like to know where it was so I can contact these friends (if still living)...

Thanks again for any help with this...

John

[TheTimidBlueBars]

Have you tried asking on Peoria Facebook groups? I've only been to the city once, but I live in Oak Park and we have a "Growing Up in Oak Park" group where one could easily find answers to questions like this.

[James Bond 007]

I don't know if it's going to be much help, but here is a website that has historic aerial photos:
https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer

Type in Peoria, Illinois in the search function and you get a bunch of old aerial photos. For Peoria I see ones for 1946 and 1967, which seem to be the closest to your time frame.

Of course, especially with old aerials like this you won't be able to make out something as detailed as a particular kind of gas station, but maybe you'll notice some feature nearby that looks like it might be familiar.

[xrhonda91]

Thanks very much for suggestions !

Had contacted a guy who had a Peoria blog, but he wouldn't post my inquiry... Probably need to search Facebook for Peoria and surrounding cities groups and see what is available.

That historicaerials.com link is excellent ! Will need to spend several hours/days seeing how far I can view in the 1967 time-frame. I remember enough of the surrounding rural terrain to be able to nail it down if the correct area is in their library ! I examined their site a few years back and that feature and year wasn't available at the time, so very much appreciate your input ! The home and business was certainly there then being only two years prior to the time I was visiting as a child, so am sure encouraged ! At the very least, I can eliminate areas from search using that great imagery !

Will definitely post if I find it !

Thanks once again !

John

[James Bond 007]

You're welcome.

[xrhonda91]

Well, examined within the limits of the '67 aerial coverage of Peoria County without any luck---beyond it's boundaries, the time frame shifted too far forward to be of any help due to development... Since this place could have been anywhere within a .5 to 1.5 hour drive from Canton, IL (was only a kid and just can't remember travel time), the search area is still huge and need input from anyone within that range...

Would be great if people within search area could mention this to their local heating or heating/plumbing shops---maybe an old-timer might recognize it ???

Sure appreciate any help as it would be great to find these people before the Holidays...

Thanks !

John

[Steve&Adam]

By chance was it right next to the railroad tracks? That picture reminds me of the old Hicks gas station (I think that was the name) in East Peoria next to where the railroad bridges over US 24. Its now long gone, but it sticks in my mind as one of very few places I've come across where I couldn't pump my own gas.

[xrhonda91]

Thanks for response, but that wasn't the place. The old Sinclair gas station had been out of business for awhile before they established their heating business in the building in the mid to late 1960's---and it was in a rural area, though not far from a city/town...

John