GLENRAY W.Va. (Hinton News) – This week’s piece is a bit unique and “new to me”. It was found by my long-time friend Bradley Mitchel and his son, who were “magnet fishing” in the Greenbrier River. His son, Remington, found this hard-to-find 1920s Mobil Oil “lolliepop” sign on the bank on the Glenray side across from Griffiths Creek.
They gave it to me because they know how much I love local history and early automobilia…well I like “junk” of all types. Ha, I haven’t found a listing for Mobiloil in Alderson around that time yet. In its early days, Mobiloil was sold not only by oil retailers but also in general stores, pharmacies, and hardware stores. Before gas stations/service stations became increasingly popular during the late 1930s and early 1940s, it was common practice to find single pumps and motorist products at these locations.
It is possible that this unique piece was scrapped during the efforts of World War II or some other effort. But the first thing I thought of was that it more than likely washed from the Town of Alderson during one of the early floods that affected the town. As I said before, I have never been able to find a reference for Moboil Oil in Alderson. But it was common practice for other businesses to provide gasoline to early motorists. There were many businesses in Alderson that are no longer there.
For instance, on the Greenbrier side of town, prior to the flood of 1985, there were businesses all along the riverbank. One of which was an early metal garage building that, after the flood, my Uncle Eric and dad salvaged and moved it to his home in Clayton, where he constructed a personal garage out of it.
The first photo you see is of the Mobiloil sign that was given to me. The one on the right is one just like it, so you can see how it looks with the stand on it, hence the name “lolliepop sign”. The one that was found in the river in Summers County has some damage, but as you can see, most of the ones that have survived the test of time have some damage. Remington hunted and hunted but could not find the metal base for it.
Being the junk fanatic I am, I started cleaning it as soon as I got it home. And already started the hunt for something to make the base out of, I have the metal pipe stuck back in my collection that I can use. My Grandfather Bernard Thompson would be proud. I intend to do a little show room with his antique porcelain signs, old oil cans, 1930s air pump, and numerous other pieces he collected in his 70 years of salvage. Now this lollipop sign will make a great addition to his collection.
