Wadhams Gas Station - West Allis, WI - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

The marker at the site reads:
"Wadhams Gas Station

Established April 20, 1927

In 1916 Wadhams Oil & Grease Company saw the market potential of serving early auto owners, many of whom purchased gasoline in buckets to be stored at home. The solution was an off-street gasoline distribution center to be known as a gas station. Wadhams Gas Stations went on to become a prominent regional chain in the Midwest only a few of which remain standing today.

Famous Milwaukee architect Alexander Eschweiler's Wadhams Gas Station design is considered to be iconic. His ingenious design married a typical steel-framed, glass-walled, box-like gas station to a swooping roofline, creating a building that was functional and efficient as well as eye grabbing. The idea behind the design was to use color and a striking silhouette to distinguish the building from the visual clutter of a typical roadside strip. Its flamboyant roof was instantly recognizable, making the building the centerpiece of Wadhams Oil & Grease Company's market image.

This Wadhams Gas Station remains in its original location and in 2000 was restored to its 1950's state with the support of the West Allis Historical Commission. In 2004 the building was designated as a local landmark as well as being listed on the on the State and National Register of Historic Places. This landmark is owned and maintained by the City of West Allis. It contains historical historical displays of petroleum products once sold and equipment used by previous owner Frank Seneca who owned and operated the gas station from 1954 to 1978.

Presented by the West Allis Historical Commission 2006."

Street address: 1647 S. 76th St. West Allis, WI USA 53214 County / Borough / Parish: Milwaukee Year listed: 2004 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering: Architect, builder, or engineer: Eschweiler, Alexander C., Danielson, C.B. Periods of significance: 1925-1949 Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Transportation: Road-Related, Specialty Store Current function: Recreation and Culture: Museum Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Privately owned?: Not Listed Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/16/2011 REUAHNESIE visited it 09/01/2008 onfire4jesus visited it

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