Posted 9 years ago
Rattletrap
(915 items)
Since the Union Pacific was a part owner in Utahs first Oil refining Company which began in 1908 and was called Utah Oil Refining Company, we decided that we ought to have one of the old models of the UPs porcelain signs. We've hunted for a long time to finally find this rough one but we love it and the hard life it has obviously led. So it was with Utah Oil refining Co which sold oil as Vico and Gas as Pep 88. Little by little Standard Oil bought more and more stock and the name changed to UTOCO and then to American, then Standard, and I think we missed Pan Am in Utah and went directly to AMOCO and then to Chevron, which is actually Standard Oil. Hmmmm? Wasn't it Standard Oil that was broken up in to 53 Companies under the anti Trust act in 1913? That's another story! Then there's all the intrigue between the Oil Companies and the railroads which is its own delicious story. We love the history of each of the old signs we find for the Lakesides Storage museum and hope you do too.
The R R sign has a very interesting story as well. We got it from an old farmer in Kanosh Ut who happens to be the grandson of Appelton Milo Harmon, who was the man who invented the odometer for the use of the Mormons to use as the crossed the Plains from Illinois in 1845-1847 after they were burned out, robbed and murdered by persecutors until they all left. We also got a cool gas pump from Mr Harmon. That's another great story.
Nice sign, likely off a PFE wood side reefer, as it's a porcelain.
History of the UP "System" logo can be found here: https://www.up.com/aboutup/history/uplogo/logo5/index.htm
The text I will copy below, as links have a way of breaking....
"1914-1932 The 'System' Logos
The 1914 System Shield
Following the separation from the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific immediately began consolidating its affiliated rail lines. For the next 18 years, wholly owned railroads, such as the Oregon Short Line, were prominently placed under the UP umbrella. UP called themselves a "System."
1914
The small "Standard Road of the West" is removed from the escutcheon, and a large word "System" is added underneath "Union Pacific" as the Oregon Short Line and Oregon Washington Railroad & Navigation Co. are integrated into the railroad. The two new lines were given "knockoff shields" to help visually integrate them with the company in the minds of the public.
1929
UP Stages, a joint venture between Union Pacific and Chicago and North Western Railway, also was given a "knock-off" shield."
Wow! A lot of good info I knew nothing about. Thanks