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Post by John on Nov 15, 2004 11:46:43 GMT -6
Streator used to have numerous little Filling Stations, as they were called. Of course they were all Full Service stations then. Here is a photo of the original Keen's on North Bloomington St. at the same site as the abandoned Keen's now stands. In the background stands the "Student Prince", a hangout for the high school kids back then.
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Post by Blue Star7 on Nov 15, 2004 14:57:42 GMT -6
Butch, Am I correct in deducing that the gas station may have been one of the first to add cement sidewalks/drives? It appears that Bloomington St & Broadway were still dirt roads in the pics?! By the way, I enjoy the pics and you're time posting them.
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Post by John on Nov 15, 2004 17:01:44 GMT -6
Thank You Blue Star7, Bloomington St. here appears to be brick but Broadway looks like it is a dirt road, at least at this intersection. Note though the brick sidewalk crossing Broadway St.
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Post by Blue Star7 on Nov 16, 2004 4:23:34 GMT -6
I noticed the bricked street and sidewalk after posting, sorry. I must have "tired eyes" LOL Have a nice day.
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Post by John on Nov 17, 2004 20:10:24 GMT -6
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Post by John on Jan 27, 2005 19:52:09 GMT -6
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Post by Hellonlinks on Feb 21, 2005 2:01:46 GMT -6
I love the old pics !
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Post by grimly on May 29, 2005 7:09:16 GMT -6
Slightly off-topic here, but I thought I'd throw in a couple of points on Keen Service:
Virgil Keen was the guy the established Keen Service, and I knew the place only during the mid-60s, when it was on my paper route. By that time the Student Prince was just a heap of rubble, though I have a vaugue memory of delivering a few papers there before it was demolished.
To my knowledge, Virgil had his first gas station out near Blackstone, and some people referred to him fondly as the Mayor of Blackstone, though I don't think he actually held the office. Virgil had a friendly rivalry with Cal Applegate, maybe *the* great entrepreneur of Blackstone and son of old Roy Applegate, who at one time owned "80 80s"--that is, 6400 acres or ten full sections of land. I believe Roy picked up much of this land during the Depression but no one bore him ill will.
I digress. After operating one or two gas stations in the Blackstone area, Virgil must have seen a greater opportunity in Streator. I didn't know there was a smaller, original station that preceded the big one that still stands (very much considered state of the art at the time it was built), so thanks much for the reach back in time. The guys that ran Keen's and other station seemed to be uniformly good, helpful guys.
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Post by John on Jun 17, 2005 12:20:31 GMT -6
Keen's was a Texaco station. Remember the Texaco ad?
"You can trust your car to the man who wears the star".
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Post by DumDave on Jun 18, 2005 14:33:09 GMT -6
Anyone remember "Bud" Jackson's Shell station in the next block on the corner across from St Mary's School? Bud used to play in the band @ WIZZ. In about 1960, the band was let go & Bud & most of his family moved to Branson before Branson was what it is today. Follow your dream Bud........
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Post by John on Jun 18, 2005 20:26:20 GMT -6
Anyone remember "Bud" Jackson's Shell station in the next block on the corner across from St Mary's School? Bud used to play in the band @ WIZZ. In about 1960, the band was let go & Bud & most of his family moved to Branson before Branson was what it is today. Follow your dream Bud........ After he left, Tommy Bunn took it over and ran it before he went out to Com Ed. Then they tore down the original station and put up the car wash at that corner.
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Post by moonshine on Jun 26, 2005 7:06:13 GMT -6
I bought an old 53 chevy pickup a couple of months ago to tinker with. It still has Jackson's body shop on the door and the old 5 digit phone #. pretty neat old truck. love the pictures and streator history on this site !
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Post by John on Jun 26, 2005 14:36:51 GMT -6
Jackson's Body Shop was out on Powell St.
Dave, Bob Gautschy was co-owner with Ralph Jackson of Bud's Shell Service. (Not the same Jackson that ran the body shop)
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Post by DumDave on Jun 27, 2005 9:54:05 GMT -6
Jackson's Body Shop was out on Powell St. Dave, Bob Gautschy was co-owner with Ralph Jackson of Bud's Shell Service. (Not the same Jackson that ran the body shop) My future Bro-in- law worked for Tommy in the 60's.
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Post by DEE1 on Aug 22, 2005 7:15:53 GMT -6
KEEP THE PICTURES COMING......WHAT A TREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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