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Archie Bentz was the last owner of what is now the St. Charles History Museum and over the last few year's he has been compiling a list of the Tri-Cities service stations. When the Museum was creating its new exhibit Serving Gas to Preserving History, Archie was a wealth of information but it also sparked some new questions and we are looking to the community for help.
This is a current Google Earth photo of 311-313 N 5th Street in St Charles, the present home of Boyle Body Shop.
I am currently working on compiling a history of Tri-City service stations and automobile dealerships. I have a limited history of this site going back to 1932 as shown below and would appreciate any information to fill in the gaps in dates and names of those in operation.
Here is what I remember of this area in St. Charles as a kid; The main north-south highway that we know of today as Route 31 or Second Street in St Charles did not pass under the railroad tracks about 3 blocks north of Rt 64. There had been no provision for a tunnel or underpass of the railroad right-of-way. I believe there only two ways to go north of St Charles on the west side; 1) travel west on Dean Street and drive over the tracks, 2) there was a tunnel under the tracks either on north 5th or north 6th. I believe that since there was this early filling station on north 5th it would stand to reason it was constructed to service the northbound traffic leaving town.
The original filling station would have been the right side of the building prior to the addition of service bays.
313 North 5th Street History
Who remembers when north 2nd Street and the railroad underpass were constructed and the highway was designated Route 31?
Does anyone have early photos of this location that could be shared with the Museum and myself?
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