The Utah Parks Company Service Station Is The State S Most Historic Gas Station

Though gas stations are often thought of as merely an inconvenient stop along a road trip, they can also be part of the fun, and sometimes, even a destination. Take, for example, this historic gas station nestled in Bryce Canyon National Park. This might just be the only gas station you’ll ever want to add to your ever-growing Utah bucket list. Let’s take a look, shall we?

Bryce Canyon is easily one of the most striking destinations in Utah.

Luca De Ruvo/Google

These bizarre stone towers, known as hoodoos, were formed by steam erosion and millions of years of frosty weather. Startlingly vibrant shades of red, yellow, white and orange give the canyon an even more surreal look.

Jerry and Pat Donaho/Flickr

And while you will undoubtedly find some of Utah’s most scenic vistas within Bryce Canyon National Park, there is a little-known slice of history hiding within the park we’d love to share with you.

erikccooper/Flickr

Built in 1947 to serve automobile-borne visitors to the park, the Utah Parks Company Service Station was designed by architect Ambrose Spence in a style that was not only consistent with the prevailing National Park Service rustic style but was more modern and simpler in character.

National Park Service/Wikipedia

Located between the Bryce Canyon Lodge and Sunrise Point, the dominant feature of the service center is a coursed sandstone wall that curves around the structure. The front of the service center features a series of flat roofs in different planes projecting from the stone wall with a prominent canopy sheltering the pumps. Inside, you’ll find a sales room, storage room, service bay, and two toilets.

NPS Gallery

The service station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 and is the only Utah gas station with such a designation.

NPS Gallery

So, the next time you’re driving through Bryce Canyon, be sure to stop and admire the most historic gas station in Utah. Though it pales in comparison to its striking surroundings, it is quite a lovely little slice of history.

Michelle Callahan/Flickr

Have you ever visited this historic service station? Why not add it to your itinerary the next time you’re headed to Bryce Canyon National Park, along with a stay at the Bryce Canyon Lodge?

Luca De Ruvo/Google

Jerry and Pat Donaho/Flickr

erikccooper/Flickr

National Park Service/Wikipedia

NPS Gallery

Michelle Callahan/Flickr

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