The Complete Story
This tiny 14-foot by 14-foot gas station was built by Butler Manufacturing in 1917, making it one of the oldest surviving filling stations in Illinois. In the 1930s, Henry Mahan moved the station to Middleton on Route 136 between Easton and Havana, where he ran it until leaving to serve in the United States Army during World War II.
Over the decades, Mahan's Filling Station operated under multiple brands - Texaco, Marathon, and Phillips 66 - before being purchased by Bill Shea Sr. and his wife Helen in 2000 as a star attraction for their Shea Gas Station museum. The station was moved 21 miles to its location at the museum. When Shea passed away in 2013, the museum contents were auctioned in 2015.
Local entrepreneur Jeff Fulgenzi purchased the historic filling station at the auction and moved it again on January 24, 2016, to his property at Fulgenzi's Pizza & Pasta restaurant. The restaurant itself has deep Route 66 ties, having opened in 1979 as a 'Custard Castle' on property that was once home to multiple hotels including the Fairway Motel. Today, the restored Mahan's Filling Station sits proudly on display at Fulgenzi's, where the commitment to preserving Route 66 history continues.
Surprising Facts You Didn't Know
→ At only 14x14 feet, it's one of the SMALLEST surviving gas stations from the era
→ Has been moved THREE TIMES: to Middleton in the 1930s, to Shea's museum in 2000, and to Fulgenzi's in 2016
→ Operated as Texaco, Marathon, AND Phillips 66 over its lifetime
→ Original owner Henry Mahan left to serve in WWII and never returned to the station
→ The Library of Congress has a photograph of this station in their Route 66 collection
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit Mahan's Filling Station
✓ You Can Visit Today
Address: 1168 Sangamon Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702
What's There Now: Restored filling station on display at Fulgenzi's Pizza & Pasta restaurant - the restaurant itself is a popular Route 66 stop
GPS Coordinates: 39.8306468, -89.6372295
Photo Tip: Best photographed in early morning or late afternoon when the Illinois light brings out the building's character.
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