The showroom of the dealership can be seen here.

Henrietta Seiberling was married into the Akron, Ohio rubber industry dynasty. Mrs. Seiberling was active in society and social reform. She created an "alcoholic squad" within her Christian fellowship to address the tragedy of chronic, untreated alcoholism. In 1933, Mrs Seiberling introduced an Easterner, Bill Wilson, to Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio. The three, and others, continued meeting regularly under the auspices of the Oxford Groups, a broadly defined ministry association, to help alleviate the effects of alcoholism. By 1937, Wilson and Smith had split from the Oxford Groups to form their own fellowship: Alcoholics Anonymous.

The telephone number is provided: Elizabeth 2900. The call would go to the local operator who would call the operator closest to Elizabeth, New Jersey. The connection would be made, or a call back would be made back to the Rockville operator, who would then pass the phone to the caller. The telegraph would probably be cheaper.

Having grown up in Rockville,albeit many, many years after this photo, it is a treat to see. Rockville maintained that ambiance into the sixties.

Sherry

As precursors to the electric traffic signal, these were a fascinating technological dead end -- a terrestrial version of the acetylene-lamp buoys that were used as channel markers. Also interesting as a study in advertising -- the sponsored traffic light.

I wonder what happened when a car ran into one at 50 mph -- kaboom?

The developer of the highway lighthouse, Nobel laureate Gustav Dalen (inventor of the sun valve), was blind, having lost his vision when one of his experiments exploded.

Click to enlarge.

From the Ruston (LA) Leader, July 27, 1931:

SAFETY LIGHTS WILL BE PUT ON HIGHWAYS

A hundred flashing safety lights are being installed in dangerous places on the highways of the state, it is announced from-the offices of the Louisiana Highway Commission, which has just entered into a contract with the Highway Lighthouse Co., New York, for the installation. The company agrees to "Install and maintain the lights In return for the privilege of selling advertising on one side of the base."

[Below: Ad from 1922. - Dave]

Once somebody collided with the lighthouse "Signal" (which seems inevitable), I wonder how they were going to notify the company, 200 miles away and with no telephone number and only the city given.

I love those old gravity gas dispensers. When I was a kid in the 50's there was one small gas station that still used them.

Gasoline was pumped into the chamber at the top with a crank until the level indicator reached the desired gallons, then you emptied the contents into your tank. Hopefully it didn't run over before the chamber was empty.

Four different brands of gasoline within 50 feet, three of them at one business on the right.

Gotcha, Self portrait of the photographer or at least his camera, 2nd window from the left, right side, just about center. Some type of twin lens view camera, on top of or behind a car parked across the street.

[I think you're imagining things. It would be impossible to see the camera's reflection unless the windows were perpendicular to its line of sight. - Dave]

They're road hazard signs with room for an ad, apparently; owned by American Gas Accumulator Co.

[At this location at least, it seems to have offered free air for your tires. Another photo shows an air hose at the base. - Dave]