Gas Station Pole Thermometers

Sept/Oct 2024 edition
Issue #36 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
​By Jamie Davis

A HOT COMMODITY
Among the Many Giveaways to get your Business, 
Pole Thermometers were a Uniquely Useful Item

Back when full-service gas stations were a fixture on your local corner, they didn’t just fill your tank; they made you feel like a valued part of the community. As your car or truck rolled over the driveway bell, an attendant, decked out in the station’s signature colors, would dash out to meet you. They’d inquire about your fuel needs, and while the gas was flowing, they’d take care of your vehicle, wash your windshield, check your tire pressure, and even inspect your oil level!

​As a gesture of gratitude, many gas stations would offer premiums or giveaways to customers who purchased enough gas to qualify. One such popular thank-you gift was the pole thermometer, a novelty item that was all the rage from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.

Left: This Standard Gas Station pole thermometer measures 8 inches tall and features a calendar dated 1962 on the bottom. It reads “Sample No. 500C” beneath the address, indicating this would be a typical salesman sample shown to prospective service stations for advertising purposes. Made of plastic, it is valued at $100-$115.
Center: This Phillips 66 Gas Station pole thermometer measures 7 inches tall and features the iconic Phillips 66 logo on the top. It is from Rosewood Drive Car Wash in Columbia, SC, with the phrase “A Friend Indeed When A Clean Car You Need.” Made of plastic, it is valued at $50-$65.
Right: This Skelly Gas Station pole thermometer measures 7 inches tall and is made of plastic. It is from N. R. Ambrose Oil Co. in Tripoli, Iowa, with the phrase “The Sign of Service.” Made of plastic, it is valued at $60-$75.

Left: This Sinclair Gas Station pole thermometer is from Trout’s Sinclair Service station in Lancaster, PA. It announces for all to see, “I Got This With 10 Gallons Of Gas” is printed above the station location. It measures 7 inches tall and is valued at $85-$100.
Center: Bright colors make this Shell Gas Station pole thermometer stand out amongst the other 7-inch tall plastic thermometers. It is from Mac’s Shell Service in Zanesville, OH, with the phrase “Shell Done-Well Done” on it. Some fading on the bottom affects the value of $75-$90.
Right: This Texaco Gas Station pole thermometer is from D&J Texaco Service in Big Spring, TX. Like the others, it is plastic and measures 7 inches tall. D&J Texaco Service appears very simple, with their phone number and location at bottom. It is valued at $85-$100.

Left: This Farmers Co-Op Oil Company pole thermometer is 7 inches tall and made of plastic. It is from Farmers Co-Op Oil Co. in Platte Center, NE, and includes their phone number. It is valued at $60-$75.
Center and Right: These unmarked Chevron and Union 76 pole thermometers are salesman samples shown to prospective service stations. They measure 7 inches tall and are made of plastic. The bottom portions are blank; local stations could add their name, address, phone number, and a saying if desired. Valued at $75-$90 each.

Left: Seldom seen, this Atlantic Gas Station pole thermometer is from Dick’s Atlantic Service, which offered its customers “Minor Repairs, Snow Plowing, Road Service, and Free Pick Up & Deliver.” They were located at the intersection of Walden & Union Road. Made of plastic, It measures 7 inches tall and is valued at $75-$90.
Center: This Standard Gas Station pole thermometer is a salesman sample that allowed the service station proprietor to decide which 7-inch-tall plastic thermometer he liked. This one is marked “Sample No. 500 Flame Top,” with a fictional “Davis Standard Service” in the bottom area. As you can see, the gold foil has peeled away from the thermometer area on this one. It is valued at $75-$90.
 Right: This Texaco Gas Station pole thermometer measures 7 inches tall and features Williams Oil Co., Inc., located in New Bern, NC. It features the iconic Texaco Star logo at the top and “It’s Texaco For Those Who Know” as the slogan just above two 7-digit phone numbers for Williams. It is valued at $70-$95.

Left: This Pure Oil pole thermometer is from H. O. Anderson, Inc. in Martinsburg, WV. It is made of plastic and measures 7 inches tall. The company added the phrase “The Sign Of Service” as it also provided fuel oil and burner service for the residents of Martinsville. It is one of the later pole thermometers, as it features a 7-digit phone number, whereas earlier ones only have 5 digits. It is made of plastic and valued at $75-$90.
Center: This Farmers Co-Op Oil Co. pole thermometer is 7 inches tall and made of plastic. It is from Cambridge Co-Op Oil Co. in Cambridge, NE, and includes their phone number. It is valued at $60-$75.
Right: This Mobil Gas Station pole thermometer is from Midway Auto Service in St. Louis, IL. It advertises “Your Friendly Mobil Dealer” with its 5-digit phone number. Measuring 7 inches tall and made out of plastic, it is valued at $95-$100.

These were plastic thermometers shaped like iconic gas station poles, with the top proudly displaying the gas station brand logo and the bottom showcasing the gas station’s details. In the middle was a small glass thermometer tube, a practical feature that would tell you the temperature wherever you hung it!

Cast your mind back to a time when we didn’t have the luxury of cell phones or computers to tell us the temperature. We relied on a simple, yet charming, device: the thermometer. I can vividly recall my grandfather’s collection of these small, nostalgic items. They adorned the space just outside the door, inside his workshop, and in the summer kitchen, serving as a practical and decorative reminder of a bygone era.

While they carried different gas station logos, all pole thermometers measured about seven inches tall. Of course, the ones that featured a calendar on the bottom were about eight inches tall. The pole thermometers that carried a yearly calendar on the bottom are rare, as they had an actual shelf life on them; I mean, who wants a calendar when six months have already passed? Due to the number of thermometers the proprietor had to order, the calendar-type pole thermometers were giveaways at many of the higher-volume gas stations.

While these pole thermometers are exciting, they are seldom considered collectibles. First and foremost, a gas and oil collector remembers all the vintage logos from companies that the general public has long ago forgotten. Their small size means they only take up a little room and can readily be displayed in your home or office. With some of the exorbitant prices collectors have seen for some items recently, these are relatively inexpensive gasoline-related collectibles.

Most plastic pole thermometers range in price from $50 to $125 each but are cheaper when purchasing multiple thermometers from one seller. Regarding the “Holy Grail” of pole thermometers, you look to the seldom-seen gas suppliers, such as Cities Service, Humble, Lion Gas, British-American, and Supertest. These gas and oil companies were much smaller than titans like Texaco, Mobil, and Shell, and these pole thermometers are rare. Expect to pay between $200-$300 for a British-American or Supertest, with the Lion Gas ranging between $335-$375 and Cities Service and Humble selling for north of $450 if you can put your hands on one. These seem to stay in collections, as they are the rarest among pole thermometers. 

​One of the best parts about collecting them is they can easily be found at auction, estate sales, and automobilia stores, including ours (757-894-1678 or StudebakersGarage.com)!

Jamie Davis

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