Wayne James is a man who does what he says he’s going to do. In 2002, he
promised Jim Peavy that he would faithfully restore his 1934 Richfield Service
Station if Mr. Peavy would donate it to the R.C. Baker Museum.
Mr. James spent the next two years taking apart the classic are deco station,
scrapping, painting and putting it back together. He and his wife spent weekends
and vacations driving up and down the western part of the Untied States
searching for authentic artifacts of the period.
“I got that gas pump in Oregon. It was run over by a truck. That oil can came
from a yard sale in South Dakota. I found a man in Minnesota who recreated the
faceplates for the pumps. That yellow color and detail work I found in old
catalogues. It’s not perfect but it’s as close as close can get.”
“People can walk in here and see what a piece of 1934 looked like. That’s
important. Coalinga was a historical town. The 1983 earthquake killed most of
our history. Buildings were crushed, bulldozed, and hauled away. All that’s left is
pictures and belongings. This Richfield Service Station is not a picture. It’s the
real thing and people can touch it and walk in and around it from now on.”
“People can walk in here and see what a piece of 1934 looked like. “
~Wayne James
The Service Station is also a Historical Landmark by Fresno County in 2005,
The Station was also in The Fresno Bee July 15, 2006.
Come down and visit us, take pictures, enjoy the past with us.
promised Jim Peavy that he would faithfully restore his 1934 Richfield Service
Station if Mr. Peavy would donate it to the R.C. Baker Museum.
Mr. James spent the next two years taking apart the classic are deco station,
scrapping, painting and putting it back together. He and his wife spent weekends
and vacations driving up and down the western part of the Untied States
searching for authentic artifacts of the period.
“I got that gas pump in Oregon. It was run over by a truck. That oil can came
from a yard sale in South Dakota. I found a man in Minnesota who recreated the
faceplates for the pumps. That yellow color and detail work I found in old
catalogues. It’s not perfect but it’s as close as close can get.”
“People can walk in here and see what a piece of 1934 looked like. That’s
important. Coalinga was a historical town. The 1983 earthquake killed most of
our history. Buildings were crushed, bulldozed, and hauled away. All that’s left is
pictures and belongings. This Richfield Service Station is not a picture. It’s the
real thing and people can touch it and walk in and around it from now on.”
“People can walk in here and see what a piece of 1934 looked like. “
~Wayne James
The Service Station is also a Historical Landmark by Fresno County in 2005,
The Station was also in The Fresno Bee July 15, 2006.
Come down and visit us, take pictures, enjoy the past with us.
| Restored 1934 Richfield Service Station |
R.C. Baker Memorial Museum, Inc.
297 W. Elm St. Coalinga, Ca 93210
(559) 935-1914 Fax: (559) 935-2339
Toll-Free 1-877-416-5849
All Rights Reserved © 2007-2012
297 W. Elm St. Coalinga, Ca 93210
(559) 935-1914 Fax: (559) 935-2339
Toll-Free 1-877-416-5849
All Rights Reserved © 2007-2012
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| CLICK THE ABOVE IMAGE TO SEE THE NEW AUTO MUSEUM OPENING SOON!!! :) |
| Pictures above come from Vintage Chevrolet Club of America Inc. -Lindsay CA |
