Old service stations in Taylors
This time of year I like to stay indoors out of the heat and the humidity. This particular morning I was in the mood for an easy, quick photo trip before it got too warm. I've been looking at photos of old service stations from around South Carolina lately, and but none of the ones in Taylors. I certainly knew how to fix that, and this particular morning was that time.
I parked at the Taylors branch library, first to check out the book An Account of Taylors, South Carolina by the late Jean Martin Flynn, and second to walk down West Main St. the short distance to what was Allison's Service Station.
Allison's Service Station (seen above) is now a hair styling business. The gas tanks are long gone, replaced by an attractive, colorful flower bed.
My second target was a former Esso station at the intersection of West Main St. and Wade Hampton Blvd. The place was packed with cars, so I just kept going. This photo I took in 2010 will do:
My last target was Bishop's Service Station, near the old mill entrance:
This was an Amoco affiliate at one time, but up until a year or so ago it was Main Street Detail and Tire. The business seemed to shut down at about the same time as the grading began behind the building.
Several more service stations were in business during the 1920s-1950s, but their buildings no longer exist. Jean Flynn's book has two uncredited photos from these stations.
One photo is of the James Service Station.
Her book credits this service station for being the first in Taylors, being built in the mid 1920s. She placed the station on the east side of the intersection of West Main St. and Edwards St. in the Taylors First Baptist Church parking lot. This 1929 plat from plat book G, page 250 confirms that location. Note that Lee Road is now Edwards Street:
The second photo is of Wood and Sammons Company.
This service station, probably built in the mid to late 1920s, was located on the west side of the intersection of West Main St. and Edwards St. where a real estate company built a brick building for its business a few years ago.
Next door to Bomar's original location was Reid Green's Service Station, located about where a fenced square shaped property is today between Capstone and a house.
I made a map of where these service stations stood, and also other locations from Jean Flynn's book. Suggested corrections and additions to this map are welcome.
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I'm pretty sure the location you have marked for the Infamous flamingo motel in Taylors is the current location of the CVS @ the corner of Wade Hampton and Edwards Rd. You have the marker across the street at the old cleaners. I remember that seedy motel as a kid in the 60's & 70's. Love all your photos of the area.
ReplyDeleteSorry about that! I have no idea why I placed the hotel marker by the Ace Cleaners building. I moved the marker across the street to the correct corner. Property records do confirm the location. My only recollection of that corner pre-CVS were those run-down looking apartments I remember seeing in the 80s.
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