Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion I was driving by a old gas station and had an idea

I drove by a old gas station that is next to a river. I have heard stories from a friend in the sign business that they would just roll the signs in the lake rather than deal with them. So I was wondering if anyone had done any poking around in lakes or rivers next to stations? I am getting old and it seems like I have asked this before but I cant remember the answer so it's all new to me. It's only gone get worse from here!!!

Hahhh! You're right Rick, it only gets worse! It would sure be worth paying someone thats into diving, to make a check for you. I bet that old story is true!

Not a bad idea at all Rick.
This sign and another one like it were pulled out of the Spokane River under the Division St. bridge when they built the new one a few years ago.
How many times did you drive over it without any idea there were signs under there?
Would anyone happen to have any info on the Bankers Petroleum Co.?

I had 3 6' Texaco signs that were dug out of a creek bottom. Im sure there are a lot of them out there. Time to invest in diving lessons and a wet suit!

couple years ago a guy stopped in and took me to his house to show me his stuff.he is a diver and you wouldnt believe the things he has found.signs,guns,toys you name it.garage and yard full of stuff.he told me that people used to put large signs out off their piers to help keep weed growth down.he had a bunch of alemite,texaco and others,nothing really rare but cool.amazing how well preserved some of it was.he would not let me take pics.he even had a bunch of wrought iron gate that he pulled out of a river somewhere.was very cool. so get out the diving gear boys!!LOL

I think I see a under water camera setup in the future. And a long pole!! I was thinking about getting into fishing, SKIP that im gone hunten!!
Thanks for the replys

Used to swim in an old quarry in W. Va years ago, and it was quite deep in sections. We were warned however not to try to go to the bottom even in the shallower section because we might get entangled in the metal and other junk that had been tossed in there.

Here in Coshocton Ohio home of the American art works tin sign company, They dumped many signs in the river which i have tried to recover.. The ones i have found were completely gone. They also buried signs behind the factory which is why smurfit stone container doesn't want to buy the land because of the environmental clean up it would take. Our water department is near the factory and a guy i know who works there has even dug up signs on their land. Tom Nelson who is the big local collector says back in the 70's he dug up a truck load out of the river bank.

Yep, this is how I acquired this sign. I paid the guy to show me where it was and after fighting to get it out by myself and fingers that would no longer work due to the cold water he finally helped me. Pretty sure I had my first heart issue that day... Steel Noodling?

Better than any old catfish !!

In Wenatchee, WA there is a bridge that crosses the Columbia River. People dumped there trash over the bridge for years. When the river is clear you can see the smoke stack of a old stern wheeler. Richard