By Ben
Rayner, Sound
Senior Staff Writer:
NORTH
BRANFORD:
Alert
motorists may have noticed that a piece of automotive history mysteriously
disappeared last month from its Foxon
Road location. The tiny but historic gas station
that sat on Rte. 80 just east of the high school was moved by the Public Works
Department to its new digs at the Totoket Historical Society (THS).
There had
been debate for several years as to what to do with the garage-sized unit and
another structure that sat on Regional Water Authority (RWA) land the authority
purchased five years ago. The RWA worked with town officials to help preserve
the building that is considered to be the first gas station in North Branford.
The station
was opened in 1927 and is believed to have operated until the late 1940s as a
fueling station. It was owned by Angelo Forte and was an important commodity on
Rte. 80, which at the time was a main artery between New
York and the rest of New England.
The station
is unique in its design, having a half-octagon shape that allowed attendants to
view cars from both directions. According to Marx, after the 1938 hurricane the
manually operated pumps at the station were one of the few sources of fuel when
the shoreline was thrown into a blackout after the storm.
The THS
wanted the building, according to President Grace Marx, but had little funds to
accomplish the feat. The town stepped in, with help from the Public Works
Department, and finally moved the structure in mid-September.
“It was a
great thing when we heard we would be getting it,” said Marx. “Of course we
didn’t know how we could afford it, but the whole town stepped up and were
behind this. We think it’s great to have it here.”
THS member
Gene MacMullen said the THS hopes to refurbish the station and use it as an
automotive-themed attraction for the museum.
“We want to
use it as an automotive piece, like license plates, and car parts–even a period
gas pump,” said MacMullen. “We would certainly love to get an old hand-cranked
gas pump. They’re hard to find these days.”
Public
Works Director Fran Merola said the project was accomplished without any
problems and took two days including constructing the foundation for the
structure at the THS. The trip down Rte. 80 was problem free and the station
was deposited directly behind the Miller museum barn.
Mid-Way
Towing donated the trailer to assist Public Works, according to Merola.
“It went
very smoothly,” said Merola. “We just put it on the truck and drove it right
down the road.”
The Totoket
Historical Society is interested in any donations of automotive history and in
particular, period manual gas-pumps. Call THS at 203-484-0246.
Pictured: The
new home of the town’s first gas station, built in 1927, will now be at the
Totoket Historical Society’s property behind the Gordon Miller museum. The tiny
station was relocated by a public works crew and will be a repository for
auto-themed artifacts. Shown are Public Works employees moving the building on
Sept. 15.
Photo
courtesy of the North Branford Public Works Department