From our Facebook Page, November 21:
WHG&HS has been contacted by a gentleman who collects photos of Conoco gas pumps located around the country. He wondered if the gas pumps in front of the Lone Pine back in the day were Conoco. Does anyone know? Were there other gas stations located in Wetmore at any time?
Answer from Jim Walters:
“I’m pretty sure that the first petro/gasoline was sold at the Walters residence-General Store-Post Office building. Fred Walters was transporting it in five gallon cans from Florence in the 1920’s probably 50-60gal at a trip.
After a while the Continental Oil Company set up a 250-300 overhead tank like your typical farm tank, and they had the Wetmore Store on a scheduled route to top it off.
Eventually CONOCO installed an underground tank and a rather plain looking above ground pump that stood just outside the fence where the HollyHock bushes were just North of the edge of the front steps.
Sometime during the 1990-2000’s the pump disappeared one night. I also have somewhere a photo of a tall “Visable Glass Tower Pump” but I can’t say for sure if it dispensed fuel there at the Store or not. I just know for sure that the ugly rusty short pump was there for a long time. I’m sure others will chime in and remember it.
Here is a pic of an exact similar type pump.
I’m pretty sure once fuel was more readily available at the Hurley Garage, it became less of an issue having it at the Post office/Store.
I still have the stainless steel, calibrated “One Gallon” fuel vessel that was available for anyone that wanted to question the accuracy of the indication on the pumps…or five gallon cans.”
