Shamrock (Florida) Photos
Shamrock Oil Co. based in Winter Park (Orlando) was one of Florida's biggest
independents from the late 50s well into the 70s. I don't know how big they
got as they never listed in the NPN Fact Books, but I estimate they got as
high as 75 stations before the "energy crisis" began taking its toll on them.
They operated through much of the state from Ft. Lauderdale in the south,
to as far north as Ocala, Daytona Beach and DeLand. I don't think they ever
got to Jacksonville, the Panhandle, or the Tampa Bay area, but did have stations
in smaller towns in the western part of the state. I think Phillips was their
major supplier as they used to give out PARALAND maps. They built many of their
stations from the ground up, but also had some smaller "dealer" sites as well,
but never the "mom & pop" type. I don't know when the company actually folded,
but I think there were several stations that held on with the SHAMROCK brand
even after the company was gone. One was on Hammondville Road in Pompano Beach
and another on Sunrise Blvd. in Ft. Lauderdale. I think these two may have held
on into the 80s, but they were pretty rundown the last time I saw them.
Walt Wimer
| TOP.......Ocala in 1960. This was on the north end of town and I think right at the jct. of US 27 & 301, an area that has totally changed today. Note the three arm sign with price and logo, and also of course GLOBES!! Most SHAMROCK stations were painted a light green with a darker green trim as shown here. |
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MIDDLE.......S. Andrews Ave. in Ft. Lauderdale. also 1960. This was one of their dealer sites, an auto repair that also sold gasoline from a kiosk area. This site had a rather unique interior lit plastic sign.
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BOTTOM......Ft Lauderdale again, this time on Florida 84 (S.W. 24th St) and taken much later in 1977. This shows a later type plastic sign with a light green background.
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Florida's SHAMROCK is sometimes confused by collectors with the much bigger
Texas company (Now DIAMOND SHAMROCK and part of Valero) but there never was
any relationship between the two. The Florida brand did leave a couple of
collectibles as in addition to the globes, they also had oil cans....a silver
one with green stripes and a big SHAMROCK logo. I think they are scarce,
if not rare, as I have never seen one in collector circles or eBay, so feel
lucky to have picked up one many years ago on a trip back to Florida.
GOOD COLLECTING!!!
Walt Wimer
1969 picture of a Shamrock on Florida 60 near Wahneta, FL. From Robert Droz.