FILL THE TANK, CHECK THE OIL IN WATERVILLE, OHIO --------Part 1
In the earlier years of gas stations they were a service station, there to assist the customer. They would ask you if they could fill your tank up and check the oil and always washed your windshield. Many gas companies would have secret customers to make sure you did a good job and even gave gifts to the persons at the station. Today you fill your own tank! We will be doing a series of articles about the gas stations in Waterville that has been researched by Randy Studer.
STARKWEATHER’S @ 12 N 3rd. St. - From what we know one of the first gas stations in Waterville was located at Fred Starkweather’s grocery store at 12 N 3rd. St. ca. 1910. It was a curbside station with two visible gas pumps in front of his store. The gas brand is unknown.
PARAGON REFINING – GULF STATION @103 N. River Rd. - The old Waterville Methodist Church which was abandoned after a new church was built. It was used as an auto repair and gas station by Jake Disher and W. Wittenmyer ca.1915. It was demolished by 1920’s. At the same location Paragon Refining from Toledo, Ohio would build a new gas station. In 1930, Gulf Oil bought out Paragon Refining and the station was rebranded to Gulf. Some of the operators were Dunn & Kronberg in 1936, John Webster, Sid Perry, Dick Monroe, Paul Frantz and Lehman Motors Sales from Whitehouse. It closed after Rt. 24 was rerouted to the Anthony Wayne Trail. Later on it was the Canal Race Gift Shop, Waterville Pizza Shop and a bait shop. It was demolished and an office building was built on the site.
Side Note: Paragon Refining had a bulk storage plant beside the railroad tracks in Waterville at 800 Michigan Ave (Library) to service their gas stations and other rural customers.
HI-SPEED GAS STATION @ 38 N. River Rd. - In 1929, Christian Haulund dba Greenwalt & Haulund Distributing Co. from Maumee, Ohio built a Hi-Speed Gas Station in Waterville. Haulund had three other Hi-Speed Gas Stations, two in Maumee and one in Grand Rapids, Ohio. Hi-Speed Gas was the brand name of gas and oil products from Hickok Oil Producing from Toledo, Ohio. The station was operated by Fritz Sullivan, H. Rasmussen (1933), W.C. Schroeder (1935) and Grover Johnston. The station was closed because of gasoline rationing and shortages during WW2. Later on in 1949, the building was remodeled as a restaurant. Over the years it was Neely’s River Road Grill, River Road Grill, Village Inn, Lee’s Restaurant and the Kam Wah Chinese Restaurant. It was demolished in 2018 for the approach to the new Waterville Bridge.
RAY’S SOHIO - SUNOCO STATION @ 37 N. River Rd. - In 1937, Standard Oil Co. made a contract to build a SOHIO gas station on the corner of River Rd and Mechanic which was occupied by the Mathewson Home and Restaurant. So the building was moved next door to 33 N. River Rd. The station was built and opened in the spring of 1937. It was operated by George Mathewson, Ray Mathewson, John Webster and Sid Perry. In 1962, Standard Oil wanted to build a new station at 300 Farnsworth Road since Route 24 now followed the old canal bed through Waterville. So in 1962, Ray Mathewson moved to the new SOHIO station as the operator. The old station got rebranded to a Sunoco Station operated by Dennis Roach (1963) Lorraine Oil, Ernie Blauvelt, Brown’s Sunoco, Byron Cox and Jud Mathewson. It is now Waterville Import Auto Service operated by Chris Straube.