Service Stations of Sumas Part 1 - Central Gas Station

Remember when service stations actually gave their customer's service.  Not the self- serve mini-marts where people buy energy drinks and potato chips, but old fashion service.  Where the young men would actually fill up the gas tank for you and checked your oil.  They would often clean your window and put air in your tires. You left feeling you were given your money worth.

picture 1

Posted with permission from the Sumas Library's collection

The picturesque little Central Gas Station was on the northeast corner of Cherry and 2nd Street.  Be certain to notice the station provided clean rest room ( a major selling point) behind the station.  The Sumas Methodist Church was behind the Service Station.  The date of the photograph is unknown.

 picture 2

 Posted with permission from the Sumas Library's collection

Date of photograph is unknown (perhaps early 1950s?)

Picture 3



Posted with permission from the Sumas Library's Collection

Proprietor Bill Edwards proudly standing next to the pumps at Central Service Station advertising the Fire Chief Texaco fuel.  Bill Edwards later closed the gas station after opening the NAPA Auto Parts house and mechanic shop in Cherry Street and Third Street.  His son is currently still operating the Parts House and Mechanic shop in Sumas.

Updated post regarding the first Methodist Church in Sumas and the Sumas Methodist Ladies Aid Society

Photograph is credited to the Reach Gallery Museum, Abbotsford, B.C.

After speculating whether this photograph was of the first Methodist Church in Sumas, WA (See earlier posting http://nooksackvalleynostalgia.blogspot.com/2014/02/photograph-credited-to-reach-gallery.html ) it was pointed out that the proof might be right in front of us.   It appears that the Sumas Methodist Ladies Aid Society are posed in front of the tall building with plank siding on the right side of the photograph.  You can see the edge of the roof of the smaller building behind it.  

Were the Sumas Methodist Ladies Aid Society formed to help raise funding to build the newer church with the steeple in 1892?  We will probably never know for certain, but the picture looks as if they match.  This would make the picture above the only picture of the original Methodist Church known.

Photo scanned with permission from a private collection.

For more information regarding the ladies refer to the earlier posting.

http://nooksackvalleynostalgia.blogspot.com/2014/02/sumas-methodist-ladies-aid-society-1901.html

Fourth of July 1905 - Sumas, WA

Photograph credited to the Whatcom Museum Photo Archives. Bellingham, WA

Today I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, WA.  We found that the museum has a photo archives which is available for research.  If anyone wishes to obtain copies of the pictures they can stop by and for a moderate fee get superb service. 

This photograph is a fascinating view of Sumas which shows Cherry Street during the fourth of July Celebration in 1905.  The description from the museum describes the photograph as followed:

"Street scene in Sumas, Washington, Cherry Street, showing bandstand.  To the left of the bandstand was the circus ground.  "

Now upon examining the photograph it is fascinating to see that behind the bandstand is the back of the Methodist Church on 2nd Street.  The building on the right in the foreground is the Mt. Baker Hotel.  The hotel was located on the south west corner of Cherry and Garfield Street.    In the background there is a house on the far left that is still standing today (Feb. 28, 2014) on 2nd Street.   See photo below of the house shown in the above photo.

Photograph taken by Deborah Morgan, Feb. 28, 2014.