Vignette > Hickman’s Service Station

Hickman’s Service Station – click to enlarge 

In 1948, Frank Hickman became a Chevron Dealer. His service station was on the corner of Evergreen and Miller.  From 1956 to 1961, Preston McCoy worked part time in the station while attending Tam High and College of Marin.  His reminiscences appeared in the Mill Valley Historical Society’s Spring 2014 Review.

“Hickman’s Chevron Service was a real ‘Service’ station. In those days there were plenty of cars from the 1940s and even some that were pre-World War II. All of them required a lot of maintenance, so service was a big part of the gas station experience. When a car pulled up to the pumps, we washed the front and rear glass, checked the oil and water levels, and even the battery fluid, and tire pressure if they looked low, or when we were asked. Those cars typically lost oil, water, and air between fill-ups. All this service was provided for just three or four dollars’ worth of gasoline at 32 cents-per gallon. Saturday was our biggest day. Many customers wanted their cars washed and/or serviced, so there was a wash rack, just a parking space really, with a hose and a drain. I disliked washing cars because we had to clean all the windows inside and out, vacuum the floors, dust the dash, and wipe down the paint. Sometimes we applied wax. Everything was done by hand. I was paid $1.50/hour, the minimum wage at the time.”

Want  more info? Read the History of Homestead Valley articles:
Service Stations
Frank Hickman