Vintage gas pumps: a classical gas in Embudo

There’s something about vintage gas pumps that people love. Maybe it’s the design or the bright colors. Maybe they are reminders of a time when gas was measured in cents and not dollars. Whatever the reason the Classical Gas Museum in Embudo, NM, attracts people from all over. We’d driven past it countless times, but never stopped. We always meant to, but you know how it is. You’re headed somewhere and just don’t have to time.

The Classical Gas Musuem, Embudo, NM has lots of reminders of a bygone era, photo/Steve Collins

Johnnie Meier, a former scientist at Los Alamos National Labs, opened the museum in 1997, using a collection he had amassed over the previous ten years. He spends his time restoring old items ranging from vintage gas pumps to old stoves to juke boxes to old cars. “I’m particularly attracted to the gas pumps” he says,” because to me, they represent art and sculpture.”

Old gas pumps stand in front of the Classical Gas Musuem, photo/ Steve Collins

Meier is currently restoring an old diner, made by Valentine Manufacturing Inc. of Wichita, Kansas in the 1950s.  He found it in a junk yard outside of Santa Fe in 2006. He knew what it was the minute he saw it. It took three years to negotiate the sale and he’s been working on the restoration since the summer of 2011. He expects to have it done by the end of 2012. The sign in front says “Eat Mo.” When fully restored, it’s going to be an ice cream parlor called Eat Mo’ Ice Cream.

Meier is restoring this classic Valentine Diner from the 1950s photo/Steve Collins

He also sells found objects to artists, mostly to sculptors who will incorporate them into in their works. A lucrative business over the last few years has been rentals for films, commercials and fashion shoots.  Meier’s treasures can be seen in No Country for Old Men and Wild Hogs, both filmed in New Mexico.

This now collectible Texaco gas station was a Christmas premium, photo/Steve Collins

While much of the vast collection is scattered around the grounds, there’s also a museum building  full of gas station memorabilia ranging from old signs, to tins, to an old toy Texaco gas station from the 1960s and more. The miniature service station, a Christmas promotion, originally sold for $3.49. It’s now worth about 100 times that. It’s a valuable lesson in holding on to things. There’s also a collection of vintage neon signs that date back to the 1930s and 1940s “What we have here,” Meier says about the advertising collection, “is a gallery of 20^th century commercial art.”

This neon Chevron Gas sign hangs on the museum’s wall photo/Steve Collins

Admission is free. Hours: if the gate’s open, come on in. “It’s like a big open house here,” he says. “I’m here seven days a week from morning until the stars come out. However, if I have to go to the hardware store or the lumber yard, I close the gated and go.” If you’re making a special trip, call ahead.  You can reach the Classical Gas Museum at (505) 852-2995. If you pass on the way by on NM Route 68, stop if he’s there. If he’s not, you can get some great vintage gas pump photos from the road.

“Damn Fine Stuff” all over the place at the Classical Gas Museum photo/Steve Collins

Have you been to the Classical Gas Museum? Have any vintage gas pump photos to share? Anyone have a photo of the vintage gas pumps that used to be on Harmony Road in Fort Collins, CO or any others from around the USA or the world? We’d love to see them.

While your visiting the Gas Museum, treat yourself to a brisket burrito or a Sugar Burger at Sugar’s, a roadside stand south of the Classical Gas Museum. They’re open seasonally, Thursday through Sunday,