The very first gas station as we know it opened on December 1, 1913. It was operated by the Gulf Refining Company in Pittsuburgh, PA, and it was the first retail business opened with the express purpose of selling gasoline for cars. It even sported the first kiosk designed for fueling cars. Hemmings Motor News has a short retrospective on the first modern gas station. Check it out at http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/12/01/the-modern-gas-station-celebrates-its-100th-birthday/
What’s next for the fueling of our personal cars? With more and more electric vehicles and gasoline-free alternatives hitting the streets, the next 100 years could see some significant changes in both the way we get around and the way in which we fuel our cars. Fueling stations for electric and hydrogen-powered cars are growing, but the infrastructure is nowhere near the size of the gasoline-fueling industry’s. As an eventual move away from petroleum-powered vehicles seems inevitable, though, it will be interesting to see what form the replacement takes.
