Pure Oil Gas Station (c. 1931)

Pure Oil Gas Sation - Sketch courtesy of Diane P. Eberhard Pure Oil Gas Station - Artwork courtesy of Sycamore High School Student Janice Ahn

Located at 9426 Shelly Lane

C.A. Petersen, regarded as the father of modern service station architecture, created his most famous “Cottage Style” design for the Pure Oil Company in 1927. The company's signs proudly proclaimed, “Be Sure With Pure.” Only a handful of these stations remain nationwide. In 1958, Marion Kjellenberg (Shelly), publisher of the local newspaper, bought the station and had it moved to this location, saving it from demolition. It originally stood at the northwest corner of Cooper and Montgomery Roads. The building represents both a vanishing architectural style and a way of life.