Powell, Tennessee -
Gas Station Shaped Like an Airplane

As a member of the Board of the Airplane Filling Station Preservation Association, I highly recommend a visit to this unique structure. It is one of Tennessee's finest examples of "mimetic" or programmatic architecture. It's a novelty-type architecture which takes the form of buildings that resemble the products sold inside or some other novel design to attract drive-by customers.

The 80-year-old structure was built as the automobile was becoming a major mode of transportation and during a period of massive road and highway expansion.

Our restoration efforts are progressing slowly due to a lack of adequate funds. While we have received an annual grant from the Tennessee Historic Commission for several years, we continue to try to raise funds to complete our project. Currently, for a donation of $500, we will honor donors with a plaque recognizing their contributions on "their" window. We welcome all contributions as we work to save this wonderful and unique piece of Americana. [C.L. Johnson, 08/08/2011]

The airplane nose is now wrapped up in a blue tarp. Signs in the door window ask for money to rehab the project. Traffic barricades have been placed around the structure... [Rick Bruns, 07/01/2011]

The plane-shaped gas station near Knoxville has been painted gray, as if a war plane. The building is currently vacant. [Kim V, 11/30/2010]

On a trip back from Memphis we stopped in Powell, TN specifically to see this old gem on the side of the road. Elmer and Henry Nickle built the Airplane Service Station, along the newly widened US 25, in 1930. It pumped its last gas some time in the 1960s and has housed a few different businesses through the years.

The unique architecture design was intended to attract drivers -- which it did and still does today. The side of the building displays a sign that says "Save the Airplane Filling Station." There is a group of people that have started the "Airplane Filling Station Preservation Association" created to help restore the building to original condition and keep it from being torn down! SO....go check out this really awesome sight, visit its website (www.powellairplane.org), and maybe see how you can get involved to help save the plane! [Kelly Gaskins, 05/30/2009]

The Powell Airplane Service Station is a great piece of historic fantastic architecture built by the Nickle Brothers in 1930. It was never really a service station, but was a gas station for a very long time. It is a very well known and loved building in the Powell community, and its loss would be a heartbreaking to everyone.

I am the Airplane Service Station Preservation Association's web site administrator. I wanted let everyone here know that we are working hard to preserve the historic landmark. If you are intrested in assisting us in any way you can visit our webpage www.powellairplane.org or email us at info@powellairplane.org. You can also visit our site to learn more about this wonderful piece of history, and to view a number of historic photos. [Ben Whitelaw, 06/04/2005]