Site of First Gas Station

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A historical marker stands at the street corner where the world's first drive-in gas station opened in December 1913. Until then, drivers got their gas at sidewalk pumps, general stores, hardware shops, even soon-to-be-obsolete blacksmiths. Photos of the first-of-its-kind facility show a small central island covered by a large roof that extended over surrounding driveways -- a convenient pull-it-in-and-gas-it-up design familiar even today.

As long as we have personal vehicles we'll probably need refueling stations, whether they dispense petroleum distillates, electricity, or plasma juice. So whatever your personal power preference, a visit here pays respect to a pretty good idea.

The plaque reads: "At this site in Dec. 1913, Gulf Refining Co. opened the first drive-in facility designed and built to provide gasoline, oils, and lubricants to the motoring public." On its first day of business the station sold 30 gallons of gas at 27 cents per gallon.

Although several other sites claim the Oldest Gas Station crown, no one disputes that this was the first place to distribute free foldout road maps, which were produced for Gulf by Pittsburgh ad man W.B. Akins.