Holland Truck Station and its wonderful neon sign, whose wheels reportedly spun, once stood at the auspicious junction of U.S. Highways 45 and 50 just outside Flora, in southern Illinois. Initially a Pure Oil gas station and later Standard Oil, it offered broasted chicken among its treats and even hosted a disco at one point in its classic mid-century modern building.
Bill and Martha Holland operated the truck stop adjacent to the Flora airport, which Bill, a Korean War-era fighter pilot, managed for a time. The Truck Station opened around 1957. These photos are circa 1993, after the business had closed. At some point after that, the sign was sold to an unknown party. Bill and Martha died in 2009.
The Truck Station, more than just a stop for weary travelers, was a cultural hub in its heyday. It hosted a pair of mynah birds, one of whom was notably foul-mouthed — as foul-mouthed as country star Faron Young was said to be when he came by. Its strategic location made it a favorite stop for country performers, some of whom were friends with the Hollands. One former employee fondly remembers filling up Webb Pierce’s unique car — “the one with the guns, silver dollars, and bull horns!”
The Hollands’ daughter preserves her parents’ legacy by maintaining a Facebook page for the Truck Station at facebook.com/hollandtruckstop, where you will find some fine photos, including one showing an airplane pulled up next to the old gas pumps.
This piece originally appeared in the Journal of the Society for Commercial Archeology. If you’re interested in this kind of thing, membership in the SCA is a must. Among other benefits, you will get the Journal twice a year, which alone is worth the price of admission. More information at sca-roadside.org.