National Register of Historic Places

Standard Oil Gasoline Station

Plainfield, Will County, Illinois
Listed
November 13, 1984
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
84000340

About this property

The Standard Oil Gasoline Station is a historic building once used as a gas station in Plainfield, Illinois. The Lincoln Highway was the first paved road in Plainfield. As the first transcontinental road in America, the road saw very heavy usage and was re-designated U.S. Route 30 in the 1920s. From 1940 to 1957, U.S. Route 66 ran concurrently with US 30 on the same section of Lincoln Highway through Plainfield, creating substantial traffic. Plainfield's location on the routes made it a prime location for refuelling stations. The station is a fusion of the "Domestic" and "Spanish" style gas stations that Standard Oil designed in the early 20th century. The Domestic elements were intended to represent a cottage, promoting a mom-and-pop atmosphere, while the Spanish style incorporated southwestern architecture. Like most Standard Oil stations at the time, the color scheme was red, white, and blue. Built during the Great Depression, the Plainfield station features less ornamentation than stations during the 1920s due to economic concerns; instead, large panes of plate glass were used along the sides of the station. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1984. It is a contributing property to the Downtown Plainfield Historic District. The brick building has a stucco finish. The original metal roofing is intact. A small addition, built from cement block with a flat roof, was later constructed as a car wash. Four piers emerge from the roof and are decorated with glass-globed electric lights; the north two piers are further ornamented with a simple belt course. The two wooden doors have recessed panels below a window. The paint scheme was at one point changed to orange and yellow, but has been changed back to its original red, white and blue. Standard Oil Gasoline Station (Plant City, Florida) Standard Oil Gasoline Station (Bowling Green, Kentucky) National Register of Historic Places listings in Will County, Illinois

Location

600 W. Lockport St.
Plainfield, Will County, Illinois
41.60818, -88.20568

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Standard Oil Gasoline Station

This page lists Standard Oil Gasoline Station. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Standard Oil Gasoline Station report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Downtown Plainfield Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation)
Industrial
0.2 mi
Flanders House
Industrial
0.3 mi
George, Ron, Round Barn
Industrial
5.6 mi
Joliet Municipal Airport
Industrial
6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Standard Oil Gasoline Station listed on the National Register?

Standard Oil Gasoline Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Standard Oil Gasoline Station?

Standard Oil Gasoline Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Standard Oil Gasoline Station?

The period of significance for Standard Oil Gasoline Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Standard Oil Gasoline Station?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Standard Oil Gasoline Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Will County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Will County.

Explore WillCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Standard Oil Gasoline Station will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report