Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward MageeNews.com a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
I love stories and pictures taken of the city of Magee years ago! Joyce Barnes brought to my attention about a picture and article that appeared in the Simpson County Historical and Geological Society.
Joyce recognized the picture and contacted June Kenney Burnham whose father owned the station in 1941.
Below is some info about the station and the way things were in Magee!
Motor Service – Service Station selling Shell Gasoline.
It was a big day on June 28th 1941 when the modern new gas station opened on the intersection of South Hwy 49 and !2th Street. This is now the intersection of Simpson Hwy. 149 and 2nd St. Magee, Simpson County, Mississippi.
From the June 26th 1941 Magee Courier. A full page ad said “Experience in service is the record of W. B. (Red) Kennedy, proprietor of the new and modern Shell Gasoline Station…”
FREE 6 WATER GLASSES with each purchase of five gallons of New “Solutized” Shell Gasoline.. (Simpson County Historical Society and Geology Society)
Information from the daughter, June Kennedy Burnham, of the founder of the station.
NEW SHELL STATION IN MAGEE 1941
The building was on the corner of Old HWY 49 and 2nd St. We lived right up that street behind the building across from the hospital area. (Where we always lived ,as you know).
Daddy would walk to work and often came home for lunch or Mother would take lunch to him. She always cook a big noon meal, as folks used to do. I remember her pouring his iced tea in a mason jar with a lid on it. It would frost over and looked so inviting to me.
He had a small triangle office in the back of the building. His desk, filing cabinet, safe , etc. was kept there. The old filing cabinet was made of wood. I kept it for many years and when we moved to Tennessee gave it to Boxwell Boy Scout Reservation for the files they kept for BSA summer camp. (I also gave the camp my Mother’s two curved Old cement benches that were around our bar b cue at my house in Magee.)
Daddy was there at the Hwy 49 and 2nd St. location for a long time and later opened the Pure Station in what was later, the old Womack Car building . He later opened the TEXACO station across from the station we are discussing. On 49 and 2nd St. Hwy 49 was a very busy highway down to the coast.
I have a memory as a child of something that occurred at the old Station building. During the war, there would be bus loads of Japanese Americans and others going for training to Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg. They were coming from Jackson where I assume they loaded. Daddy kept the schedule of these buses. They would arrive in Magee around noon and the buses would fill up with gas.
As there were no places to eat between Jackson and Hattiesburg to stop during the noon hour to eat, my Mother would get up early on those days and make tons of ham and cheese and tuna sandwiches. There may have been boiled eggs also She would wrap the sandwiches individually in wax paper, place in boxes and take to the station prior to noon on those days
When the buses stopped for gas, the passengers would have a rest room brea and get a sandwich for their lunch . (I think they were sold perhaps for about ten cents each or so . Just enough to cover needed ingredients for the next the day’s sandwiches). I believe It was a way Mother and Daddy thought it would help in the war effort..
I also remember the old Coca Cola case filled with ice cubes that sat out front of the building The passengers would chose a a soda from it to eat with their sandwich. I also remember it also offered Delaware Grape Punch and Brown Orange !!! Ha ! I think soda’s costs five cents each. This small lunch sustained the men until they got to Camp Shelby. I remember watching the buses drive off some of those days. I tried to understand the meaning of WAR ! I Didn’t understand then and frankly still done !!Hope this is not too long. Your photo brought back lots of memories.
