Here's a great photo that I found in my copy of CENTURY: 100 Years of Lorain and Lorain Business History, published in 1983 by the Greater Lorain Chamber of Commerce. The undated photo shows VanWagnen's Super Service filling station all decked out for Christmas.
According to the 1945 Lorain City Directory, the service station was located at the northeast corner of E. Erie and Broadway, across from the Broadway Building at the approach to the bridge. Looking at the site today, it seems hard to believe that there was ever anything there.
The station is listed as being owned by Harry VanWagnen. I assume that it is the same Harry VanWagnen that was Mayor of Lorain in the early 1940's.
Here's another undated photograph (from the same book) that contains a partial view of the station. Note the old swing bridge in the background that was replaced by the current Bascule Bridge in 1940.
Incidentally, it's been a while since I've filled up at a Gulf service station and now I know why. There are only three in the whole state of Ohio – one each in Bridgeport, Ellsworth and Columbiana.
Guess I won't be filling up with Gulf No-Nox anytime soon!
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