Douglas Photos
Douglas map scan. I don't remember who sent this... sorry!
Blue map on the left is 1960, gray on the right is 1961. From David Aldred.
David's history of Douglas:
Douglas really grew after WWII with the purchase of the "Kriegler" chain.
Purchased by Conoco around 1961. Appx. 300 stations sold to Texaco in the
late 60's, but the company continued to operate the remaining stations.
After 1970, the stations began to brand "Fast Gas", "Econo", and possibly
others as well. They removed the heart and used the existing sign hardware
(I remember seeing many of these in San Jose, CA growing up there in the 70's).
As late as 1988, there was at least one "Douglas" branded station
still existing (in Lodi, CA), but this was converted...I think to Beacon...
After the sale to Ultramar.
On E. Tehachapi Blvd., Tehachapi, California, we approach this sign...
Sure enough, it's an old Douglas sign hiding in a tree!
The site, which was once a towing and wrecking yard, is on the extreme
easterly edge of the city, and would have been the first station encountered
by motorists making the long climb uphill from Mojave into town.
The yard today is a storage site for cement trucks.
The Lehigh Portland Cement mine at Monolith is just a few miles to the east of Tehachapi.
Another shot. All four above taken by J. Eric Freedner
on August 29, 2004.
A 1967 Douglas map front from David Aldred.
Back cover of the above 1967 Douglas map from David Aldred.
The interior legend on the above 1967 Douglas map from David Aldred.
Two views of a former Douglas on 90th East in Antelope Acres, CA.
This is now Jones Auto Dismantling, but was formerly a Douglas Truck Stop
in the middle of the Mojave Desert. It was active up until the 1970s.
The sign retains the proper colors, but Douglas was replaced by Jones
and they added "We Love Junk" across the heart.
Taken April 2003 by J.Eric Freedner.