The Red Crown Mini-Museum, located at the corner of 6th and South Streets in downtown Lafayette, Indiana. It is right next to Tippecanoe County Library.
The gas station was built by Standard Oil Company of Indiana in 1927-28 and had a one garage bay attached. It was built with glazed brick on all walls and red tile on the roof. In 1935-36 a second garage bay was added. It was in operation as a gas station until 1979, in 1985 the library bought the property for a future parking area. In 1991, Don Stein, a local business man and auto collector offered to restore the gas station and was finished later that year.
The interior and exterior is now filled with gas station memorabilia, mostly related to Standard and Red Crown Gasoline. The garage bays are filled with antique cars, in the parking lot can be found a 1931 Ford tow truck.
Anyone who comes by should check in the mailbox at the front door and grab a picture postcard and information sheet on the station.
Info and photos copyright 1996, Bill Drake.
More Oil & Gas Museums & Restored Gas Stations
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The gas station collectible supersite
Online 8/19/96 by Jim Potts
Updated 9/9/99
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