1930 A.O. Reece Service Station ~ W Elizabeth and 2nd Sts

"We will wash and grease your car, beginning now and running through July and August, for 50¢. Washing or greasing, 75¢. All work guaranteed. Call for and deliver. A. O. Reece Service Station. 155 Elizabeth, phone 197."  [July 1, 1931 BHerald ad]

Landreth's Locksmith

 Apr. 22 1935 Landreth's opening ad in Brownsville Herald.  Photo shows a Sinclar gas station at 156 Elizabeth St ( could be East Elzabeth where Enco was on 2nd St maybe or maybe the Herald used a Sinclair Company "stock" photo?).

Gustine, Texas  gas station 2008 - photo by Barclay Gibson

Aug.10, 1930

 Oct. 5, 1931 Brownsville Herald

 Apr. 7, 1946  (By 1937 A.O. Reece added & Son to business name and sold Oldsmobile, GMC trucks and Cadillac vehicles.   By 1940 Reece managed a Gulf service station on 13th and Roosevelt.

 Aug. 1, 1946

 Bishop, Texas (Photograohy by Chris McGathey)

Artist's rendering of building as restuarant

Pier 247 seafood restuarant in Bishop, Texas

thanks to Leroy Lopez for suggesting this post 

Fill'er Up!

1935 Magnolia Gas Station E Elizabeth & 3rd

E Elizabeth and 3rd.  Photo courtesy of Brownsville Historical Association.

City of Brownsville Recycling Center

From a historical plaque on building:  "Built in 1935, it was designed by Frederick Frost & Donald Dodge for the Magnolia Petroleum Company, the first major oil company to modernize its gas stations.  In Texas it introduced a regional variation of its corporate design with Spanish Eclectic details such as the building's flat tiled roof and decorative cornice."

Mens and women's restrooms.

308 East Elizabeth
Brownsville, TX 78522
Phone: (956) 541-9501
Days/Hours: Monday to Saturday 8am to 4:30pm
Materials Collected / Services Offered: Used Motor Oil, Used Oil, Filters,Newspaper, Cardboard, Paperboard, #1 Plastic(PETE), #2 Plastic (HDPE Colored), #2 Plastic (HDPE Clear), Aluminum Cans, Tin or Steel Cans, Magazines and Catalogs, Chipboard, White Office Paper.

Friendly recycling center workers

1955 Chevy 210 Lowrider revised

1962 Boca Chica and Palm Blvd ~ colorized '55 Chevy

1955 Rocket Gas Stations in the RGV

 Grand re-Opening in March 1955.  Photo:  Nora Vasquez Ernesto C. Cisneros is the man sitting in the car getting gas at his station at 5th & West Elizabeth according to his daughter Cecilia Cisneros

January 1, 1950

 Antonio Cisneros Sr had seven sons.  Antonio Jr and Ernesto owned the family business which began in in the 1930’s from a corner market and majority of businesses on the block which was sold with capital moved toward the expansion in the oil business.  As the sons aged each took a role in the family businesses which operated seven gas stations.  Antonio Jr. eventually took over operations and Ernesto bought half of the company after he returned from World War II.

October 1, 1952

 They added more stations over time.

October 1, 1952

The Cisneros family owned trucks that delivered fuel and canned their own brand of motor oil.  Fuel was purchased locally from McBride Refinery at Elsa and Port Fuel Company at Brownsville.

March 3, 1955

To celebrate the opening of new refurbished stations Cisneros Oil Company offered four gallons of Rocket gasoline free with purchase of 5 gallons of gasoline and 5 quarts of motor oil.  Free gifts were also given for a four day period from October 2 to 6, 1952.  Gifts included key chains for men, hose mending kits for women, special “Rocket” balloons for children and free cold drinks for everyone.

Cisneros Rocket “Courtesy Cards” were credit cards you could use to purchase fuel, oil, batteries and other automotive supplies on credit.

Cisneros Rocket Service Station

October 1, 1952 Brownsville Herald

More photos from Nora Vasquez at Junk -N- Treasure

A look back at Sinclair service station on corner of 10th and E Levee St.

1949 - Sinclair gas station on corner of 10th and E Levee St. Vivier Opera House at left. Photo taken while Majestic Theatre being built which opened August 17, 1949. Tops of First National Bank and Capitiol Theatre visible on right. **Please share this on your Facebook page**

If you look at the top photo you notice some of the stucco chipped off. This station was built to replace the old one. Looks like early 1950s and Majestic behind it and Vivier Opera house at left.