12 Nostalgic Photos of Gas Stations When Gas Was Under $1 Per Gallon

Written by Toi Williams on May 22, 2025

A vintage Sinclair gas station with a green roof, classic gas pumps, old signs, and a 15-cent gas price display, set on a gravel lot with blue sky and green trees in the background.

It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when gas cost less than a dollar per gallon. Those were the glory days of chrome bumpers, full-service pumps, and change jingling in your pocket. Take a ride with us down memory lane as we revisit 12 gas station gems from a time when you could fill up your tank and still have money left for a milkshake.

1. The Minute Man Who Always Had Your Back

Two vintage cars are parked at an old-fashioned gas station under a sign that reads “Minute Man Service.” The station has classic gas pumps and a mountain landscape in the background. — Flickr

Back when bell bottoms were booming, Minute Man Service stations were all about dependability. This particular 1970s scene gives us big “Dad just got a raise at the factory” energy. Gas was cheap, service was friendly, and someone actually pumped your gas for you. That little white building wasn’t just a service station; it was a pit stop for community, conversation, and a cold soda. For just a few dollars, you got a fill-up and a front-row seat to American optimism.

2. Fill ‘Er Up Inside a Redwood Tree

A rustic gas station built around a large redwood tree features a sign reading "World's Largest Redwood Tree Service Station" and has vintage Coke and Pepsi vending machines out front. — Flickr

This one’s not a hallucination: It’s the “World’s Largest Redwood Tree Service Station,” built inside a redwood tree in Ukiah, California. Back when novelty roadside attractions reigned supreme, stations like this weren’t just about fuel; they were photo ops. Tourists lined up just to get their gas from inside of a tree. It was kitschy, charming, and fully Americana. Yes, gas here still cost well under a buck, even as a tourist attraction. Nature and gasoline: a pairing only the past could make feel wholesome.

3. Field Bros. and the Golden Age of Simplicity

A vintage white Goodyear gas station with yellow trim sits under a blue sky; gas pumps, signs, and a tall water tower labeled "Pauls Valley" appear in the background. Brick buildings are visible to the left. — Flickr

This modest brick-and-mortar Field Bros. station screams small-town pride. Back then, local gas stations were often family-run and community-loved. The lettering on the sign and humble building were refreshingly unpolished. You’d see trucks roll in with dusty tires and leave with clean windshields and a smile. No LED price signs or touch-screen pumps here, just honest service and some of the cheapest gas your wallet ever saw.

4. The Full-Serve Island Dream

A gas station with two pumps labeled "Full Serve Island" in the foreground, and cars passing by on the road. In the background, a cemetery with numerous headstones is visible behind a fence and trees. — Flickr

Remember when the phrase “full-service” didn’t make you nervous? This station had a little island where attendants filled your tank, washed your windows, and maybe even checked your oil, all while you stayed in the driver’s seat. That’s not just service, that’s royalty-level pampering. The best part? It didn’t break the bank. You could cruise in with a $10 bill and leave with a full tank and your ego boosted.

5. Chevron and VW Bugs

Two men stand beside a black Volkswagen Beetle at a vintage gas station. One man holds a gas nozzle, while the other wears sunglasses and denim shorts. A red gas pump and a large yellow sign are visible. — Flickr

We’re not saying it was the golden era of Chevron, but seeing a classic Volkswagen Beetle getting a fill-up makes it feel like it. The station signage is subtle, but unmistakable. And that Beetle? Iconic. With gas under $1, drivers could afford to roam freely in their quirky little cars, windows down, cassette deck on full blast, and zero worries about fuel economy. Efficiency didn’t matter when gas was 89 cents a gallon.

6. Herky’s Gulf: Where Everyone Knew Your Car

A vintage gas station with old-fashioned pumps, a sign reading "Make sure that Gulf is with you," and a Gulf service garage in the background, surrounded by trees and a small house. — Flickr

Herky’s Gulf Service Station in Erie, Pennsylvania, was the kind of place where your car — and probably your life story — was known by name. Family-owned service spots like this one had a loyal following. Herky himself probably had your type of oil filter memorized. With hand-painted signage and prices that wouldn’t make your eyes water, this was the American dream on asphalt.

7. Don Clark’s Station Was Pure Orange County Vibes

A vintage gas station with two old-fashioned fuel pumps, a cream-colored building with a green roof, blue trim, and a small awning. Tires and equipment are stacked outside, with cars and trees in the background. — Flickr

This Orange County gem is the kind of place where muscle cars and surfboards would intersect. Don Clark Service looked like the perfect pit stop between the beach and the boulevard. At under a buck per gallon, you could fill your car and buy a burger afterward.

8. Self-Serve Gulf: The Dawn of DIY Gassing

A vintage Gulf gas station with a red and white canopy advertises self-serve gas for 61.9 cents per gallon. Several cars are parked by the pumps under a clear blue sky. — Flickr

Here’s where things started to change. This orange-and-white Gulf station gave you the revolutionary ability to pump your own gas. That might not sound thrilling now, but at the time, it was wild. You didn’t have to talk to anyone! You didn’t have to tip! You were a maverick at the pump. Even though you were doing the work, at least gas still cost less than a fast-food combo meal does today.

9. Phillips 66 and the Glory of the Great American Road Trip

A vintage Phillips 66 gas station with a red roof sits on a quiet street. An old car is parked out front, and a classic Phillips 66 sign stands on the corner near the building. The sky is overcast. — Flickr

Few logos scream “road trip” quite like Phillips 66. This shot captures the essence of high-octane independence. The open road, the rumble of a V8 and the sweet, sweet smell of unleaded. These stations were scattered across highways like friendly pit stops on your personal Route 66 adventure. Plus, gas under $1 meant you weren’t worried about miles per gallon, just how fast you could get to the next town.

10. Gulf Station in Waco, Texas: A Monument to a Simpler Time

A vintage Gulf gas station with white walls, blue trim, and orange Gulf signs. Old-style gas pumps stand in front, and a classic car is parked under the canopy. The sky is partly cloudy and trees are in the background. — Flickr

This restored Gulf station in Waco stands as a monument to when gas was under $1 and every fill-up felt personal. The bold orange and blue colors and vintage signage are wonderfully preserved. You half expect someone in a pressed uniform to come out and check your tire pressure. It’s nostalgic, yes, but it also makes you wonder why we ever left this era behind.

11. Route 66’s Miller’s Standard Oil Station Still Delivers the Vibes

A vintage Standard Oil gas station with white brick walls, blue trim, and an old-fashioned red gas pump stands on a grassy lot under a partly cloudy sky. A sign reads "Standard Oil Company. — Flickr

Odell, Illinois, is home to this beautifully restored Standard Oil station, a crown jewel of the historic Route 66. Originally built in 1932, it was still slinging sub-dollar gasoline decades later. With its whitewashed walls and vintage pumps, it looks more like a postcard than a pit stop. Whether you were a trucker, a teenager on a joyride or just chasing a slice of Americana, Miller’s delivered the goods and didn’t empty your wallet.

12. The Pagoda Station in Milwaukee Was Pure 1977 Weirdness

Flickr

You’ve never seen a gas station like this before and probably never will again. Designed to look like a pagoda, this Milwaukee masterpiece from 1977 is peak architectural whimsy. It was part service station, part tourist trap, and part fever dream. But guess what? The gas was still cheap. You could pull up under a temple-style roof, pump a few gallons for under a buck each and drive off feeling spiritually and financially fulfilled.

Want more doses of nostalgia?

Check out 10 Nostalgic Photos of Road Trips Before the Dawn of Social Media and These 19 Photos of McDonald’s in the ’70s Are a Serious Blast From the Past. And be sure to read 15 Iconic Cars From the 1970s That Screamed Success and 10 Rare and Expensive Muscle Cars That Sold for Millions at Auction for more auto content.