On the way from Volcano to Murphys, California today, I passed through the village of Sheep Ranch. I thought I’d pass along some information of interest to those worried about the impact of increasing gasoline costs on their model railroading hobby.
There I found gas posted at 18 cents per gallon.
Unfortunately, it took seventh-eighths of a tank of gas for a round trip between my home and Sheep Ranch. Also, it doesn’t look like the station has sold gas recently.
Mark
Wow! Now that’s a cool looking building. Reminds me of rafting, hunting and fishing trips.
Mark,
You didn’t by chance happen to get any close ups of that pump, did you? She’s a beauty.
Tom
My GF, a former photo-journalist, did. I’ll try to get you a close-up before week’s end.
Mark
A ways north of Sheep Ranch is Railroad Flat (no railroad ever existed there) where this building stands with a sign offering buffalo hunts:
Unfortunately, the picture isn’t sharp enough to make out the sign on the left side of the building containing the advertisement.
Mark
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Easy to tell who is the professional, isn’t it?
Come to think of it, these structure’s architecture appears unique. In particular, the porch in relation to the rest of the Sheep Ranch structure, and the front upper deck and stairway of the Railroad Flat structure. There are hundreds of structures in the California gold country worthy of appreciation and emulation.
Mark
I just noticed that the little stack coming from the roof is perpendicular to the sloping roof and is not at all vertical. Interesting…
Mark
I’ve seen a few stacks like that in Leesville on some of the older houses. Guess they couldn’t find or afford a 45 degree mounting.
It’s good to know it is a Neighborhood Watch neighborhood. All 32 residents are looking out for each other. We wouldn’t want any varmints to vandalize that wonderful old building.
Dave Nelson
I like that old gas station. Thanks for showing it. Any gas stations on your layout? Perhaps, the forum should have a model gas station photo thread.
dk:
That’s no joke. I’m surprised some Visigoth hasn’t ripped off the signs to decorate some suburban steakhouse somewhere, or shotgunned the pump’s bubble-top.
I’ve driven by that building advertising Buffalo Hunts. Cracks me up. Ah yes, lest we forget, the great Mother Lode Herd that roamed the foothills way back in the 1850’s. SUUUURRE!!
Seriously, those out of the way places off of Hwy. 49 are just charming. And I’m so glad that for the most part, they remain pretty untouched. Neat photos. I’m going to have to head back down that way pretty soon.
Tom [:P]
The residents in that territory are armed and do look out for each other. Word of any misdeed would travel faster than one could drive due to the narrow, windy, and steep roads. So be good or end up as road kill.
Mark
Mark, I thought I hit the jackpot here in NJ this AM when I saw a Lukoil sign that said $3.11!!! As I raced into the driveway, I saw it was closed!! Where was that 18 cents again?[:P]
Mark’s right. I was born and raised in the Sierra Nevada gold country, and you just don’t mess with the natives around that area–all 200 miles or so of it, north to south. The greater portion of the people that live around those areas are descendents of the original miners who settled there in the 1850’s, and as far as they’re concerned, if you can’t trace your ancestry back to around that period, you’re a “Foreigner.” They refer to the rest of the state as “Flatlanders”, and God forbid you try any funny stuff while you’re visiting. That said, they’re some of the most friendly, gregarious and ENTERTAINING people you’re ever likely to meet. Boy, do they have some great stories and Boy Howdy, do they like to tell them! Just ask me, I’ve got tons of them myself [:D]
All they (we) ask is that you are respectful of the territory.&
That is a cool looking old station, Mark. That pump would look great restored. I can’t believe the price was stable enough back then that they could paint 18 cents on the illuminated globe! [sigh]
That was my thought, exactly. The price of gas rose 10 cents a gallon the 36 hours between my fill-ups (before and after my road trip) at the Martinez, CA Chevron station on Morello and Muir.
Mark
Another view, I believe in NE direction. I really like the porch roof setup.
Mark