HISTORY of the STRATFORD SINCLAIR STATION
at James Valley Thresher's Park
One of the more unusual features of the James Valley Thresher’s Park is the old gas station on the parade route. It was moved to Thresher’s Park in 1990, but has a long history, almost a century, dating back to 1915. Lloyd Jark gives a history of its use through the years:
This was a Sinclair gas station located in Stratford SD, and had several owners over the years.
History of business managers of the Sinclair gas station:
Stanley Neil 1915-1939
Ervin Woods 1940-1942
Allan Baggett 1943-1946
Jim Birner 1947-1949
Harold Woods 1950-1954
Francis Horse 1955-1956
Bill Jones 1957-1965
Allan Hoeft 1966-1975
Don Bruns 1976-1979
High Grade Oil Company, which owned the property, then sold it to Dayle Ludeke and he used it for his office from which he ran the “Husky Spraying Service.”
Brown County became the owner of the station in 1980. They sold it at an auction to Lloyd Jark.
Lloyd was then approached by Kevin Anderson to bring the station to the James Valley Threshing Show. The Gas Station was moved into the James Valley Thresherman’s Park and permanently installed there in June of 1990.
The gas station retains all of its original character with two old visible gas pumps in front, one of which was donated by Art and Erna Raap in 1998. The front posts are decorated with old porcelain-on-metal signs advertising Remington Tires. (Exerpt from story.)