The post-war Fifties saw a boom in car ownership, with everyone from teenagers to grandmothers buying and driving their first automobiles. The most visible presence of this phenomena were the new gas stations that sprang up to service these amazing new machines - from a full-stop spit-and-polish city shop to the roadside pit stop in the middle of nowhere. From east to West, North to South this book covers them all. It spotlights the lore and culture of the stations that have kept the most car-dependent nation on the earth moving for over a century now. A last-chance Texaco, a Sinclair winking in the distance, the winged Mobil horse, a beckoning Shell atation, they are shown in all their small town glory of architecture, art deco pumps, inspired promotions, endless views of the open landscape. This book is sure to appeal to any traveller, fan of Americana, and history buffs.