Embassy Gulf Service Station
Encyclopedia
The Embassy Gulf Service Station is a service station
in Washington, D.C.
, located on P Street near Dupont Circle and at the entrance to the Georgetown
neighborhood. Constructed in 1937, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1993.
P. L. R. Hogner. The building and its setting were part of an aesthetic directive on the part of the company, in which it was decided to create buildings that looked less like gas stations and more like bank
s and libraries
; consequently, the designs incorporated details, materials, and massing which were more commonly associated with such buildings.
By the time the Embassy Gulf Service Station was constructed, Gulf Oil owned sixty other stations within the city of Washington, and the new structure was part of the company's corporate expansion in the city. The siting proved somewhat difficult, however; as the building was to be built adjacent to Rock Creek Park
, its design had to meet the approval of the Commission of Fine Arts; it was also the subject of a review by the National Park Service
and the National Capital Park and Planning Commission
. In the end, the original design had to be modified somewhat to fit the regulations put forth by the various boards. The final design called for a small building of grey stone similar in color to the church located opposite the station; whether or not the two buildings harmonized by design is unknown.
As a symbol of Gulf Oil's commitment to designing aesthetically pleasing and interesting service stations, the Embassy Gulf Service Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on September 30, 1993. It is still used for its original purpose; , the building serves as a repair shop and Sunoco
station.
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, located on P Street near Dupont Circle and at the entrance to the Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
neighborhood. Constructed in 1937, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1993.
History
The station was designed in 1936 for the Gulf Oil Corporation, and was the product of company architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
P. L. R. Hogner. The building and its setting were part of an aesthetic directive on the part of the company, in which it was decided to create buildings that looked less like gas stations and more like bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s and libraries
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
; consequently, the designs incorporated details, materials, and massing which were more commonly associated with such buildings.
Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park is a large urban natural area with public park facilities that bisects Washington, D.C. The park is administered by the National Park Service.-Rock Creek Park:The main section of the park contains , or , along the Rock Creek Valley...
, its design had to meet the approval of the Commission of Fine Arts; it was also the subject of a review by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
and the National Capital Park and Planning Commission
National Capital Park and Planning Commission
National Capital Park and Planning Commission may refer to* Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission* National Capital Planning Commission, formerly known by this name from 1926 to 1952 and previously as the National Capital Park Commission...
. In the end, the original design had to be modified somewhat to fit the regulations put forth by the various boards. The final design called for a small building of grey stone similar in color to the church located opposite the station; whether or not the two buildings harmonized by design is unknown.
As a symbol of Gulf Oil's commitment to designing aesthetically pleasing and interesting service stations, the Embassy Gulf Service Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on September 30, 1993. It is still used for its original purpose; , the building serves as a repair shop and Sunoco
Sunoco
Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
station.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in the District of Columbia