Gas stations, service station, convenience stores

 On the east edge of Maud, Texas, north of Highway 67, there used to be a gas station with a manual pump. In 1951, the station had two electric pumps, but the owner kept the manual pump on site.

A manual pump, as the name implies, had a wooden handle on the base. By moving the handle back and forth, the gas station attendant pumped gasoline from the tanks into a big glass bowl on top of the pump. The bowl held up to five gallons and was a means of showing a customer he was getting the amount of gas he would pay for. The visible pump was necessary because pumps that mechanically displayed the amount of gas purchased had not been invented. The visible pump was a boon to gas station attendants as well. Before visible pumps, attendants pumped gas into a can and then poured that gas into a car or truck.

Back then, gas stations were often called service stations, although the two were originally different. A gas station sold gas and oil. A service station sold gas and oil, but also provided mechanic services.

A convenience store sells everything from potato chips to clothing, and has little to do with gas stations or service stations.

If you ever see a glass-topped manual gas pump with all the parts for a decent price, buy it. They are few and far between.

Here is a link to a photograph of a manual gas pump at a service station in More, Oklahoma:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Photo-Moore-OK-Magnolia-Petroleum-Gas-Station-/200578235693

The attendant has his hand on the pump handle. On the slab beside the pump is a container of oil bottles. Oil in cans was not yet available.