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VINTAGRAPH • WPA • WWII • YOU MEAN A WOMAN CAN OPEN IT?

Grizzly Gas: 1942

April 1942. "Missoula, Montana. Entering the town." Grizz vs. Pennz at fifty paces. Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size.

April 1942. "Missoula, Montana. Entering the town." Grizz vs. Pennz at fifty paces. Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size.

 

On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5

Last Gas

Is that another Texaco station way down the road?

Grizz territory

Interesting to see the Grizzly name on the gas station. The University of Montana was founded in Missoula in 1893. Turns out the first mention of a college mascot was in 1897, when they used live bear cubs to promote their athletic teams, known as the Bears. The "Grizzlies" name was adopted in 1923.

I-90 into Missoula is now Broadway

Missoula has grown and now some of the old highways are streets. I found this by getting the mountains to line up as in John Vachon's 1942 photograph. Also, if you back up the Google street view a little and swing to the left I believe the two story building with a sign in front saying, Colonial is the same two story building in the 1942 photograph with a sign in front saying, Texaco.

Bluesmobile 1.0

Attention, you by the gas pumps, tonight, for one night only, the fabulous Blues Brothers Revue. And it’s Ladies’ Night.

In the more things change department ...

Gas at 19 cents per gallon would be roughly $3.20 a gallon in today's dollars. Pricey!

Loud Speaker CD

I think it's a Civil Defense vehicle with loudspeakers.

[Or is it the Grizzly Gasoline parade car, with the company logo on each door and GRIZZLY emblazoned on each loudspeaker? - Dave]

The Grizzlymobile

Gas jockey drives it up and down the strip broadcasting: "Get gas at Grizzly for just 17.9 cents a gallon."

Vehicle

What is that bug-eyed conveyance on the highway?

[A loud Buick! - Dave]

Putting 20 cents in perspective

According to a National Archives summary of 1940 Census data, average wage income in that year was $1,368. Even assuming wages had risen to $1,500 a year with the onset of the war--or roughly $29 a week--a 10-gallon fill-up for $2 would still be a nontrivial hit to your pretax pay.
Source: https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2012/spring/1940.html

What this town needs

is a gas station.

Things you can do in Missoula

#1 - Buy gas.
#2 - Buy more gas.

Hope that Pennzoil sign survived

A full bell porcelain Pennzoil with the stand. Oh my ... I would die and go to heaven to have that signage. Just beautiful.

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