2709 N 15TH ST

2709 N 15TH ST

Sheboygan

Sheboygan

1954

1970

2016

gas station/service station

Contemporary

Brick

Walter Pollatz (architect)

N

No

A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. Construction began on this Clark Super 100 Gas Station in 1954, which was designed by Milwaukee architect Walter Pollatz. Emory T. Clark began in 1932 the Clark Oil & Refining Company when he obtained a single service station in West Allis. Clark Oil concentrated on selling only premium gasoline and did not provide repair services. Independent of the major oil companies, Clark Oil expanded throughout Midwest and owned 158 stations in 1953. Noted for its small, modernistic stations, the company had expanded to over 1,500 stations by the 1970s.

2017- "The Clark Super 100 Gas Station is located at the northeast corner of North Avenue and N. 15th Street in the City of Sheboygan, Sheboygan County. The general area consists of a sprawling industrial complex to the west and residential subdivisions to the east. The intersection currently is a four-way stop and vehicles can access the property from westbound North Avenue (a median divides the road at this location) and from both directions of N. 15th Street. The southwest corner of the property's gas pump canopy is approximately 34 feet from North Avenue's current back-of-curb and approximately 55 feet from N. 15th Street's current back-of-curb. A wooden fence on the parcel's east side separates the gas station from an adjacent residential parcel. The property consists of the gas station building, three-island gas pump canopy, sign, storage shed and fence - a movable long-term shipping/storage container also sits on the property and was not included as part of this evaluation. The station is considered to be contributing while the canopy, shed, sign and fence are classified as non-contributing.

Gas Station Building: (Contributing: 1954)
Tucked into the parcel's northeast corner and oriented on a northwest-southeast axis, this one-story gas station building is topped with a shed roof highlighted with a sheet-metal cornice carrying modern signage. The walls are built with narrow brick or concrete block and a satellite dish sits atop the roof. Angled windows on the main (southwest) facade are the building's most notable architectural element.

The main (southwest) elevation consists of a centered doorway topped with an angled, plate-glass transom. To either side are two large plate-glass windows ensconced in bare metal frames. The lower portion appears either to be painted glass or consists of a metal panel. Five recessed lights are positioned in the projecting eave and a modern sign that says "ON THE GO" is located at the center of the cornice.

The northwest and southeast sidewalls are identical. The front half consists of a pair of plate-glass windows that wrap around the corner with the main facade. A narrow (red) brick wall extends to the edge of the eave which is flush with a concrete block wall pierced by a metal restroom door. The cornice is painted with the word "CLARK".

The utilitarian northeast (rear) facade consists of concrete block pierced by three doublehung sash windows protected by steel security bars.

The front portion of the interior is utilized for the service counter and selling convenience store items. Original fluorescent tube light fixtures are found on the angled ceiling and linoleum tile covers the floor. An open doorway leads to the former storage area at the rear, which currently is utilized as sales space. Restrooms are accessed outdoors from the doorways on the two endwalls. Tan and brown tile covers the restroom floors while yellow tile is found on the walls.

The integrity of the building is very good. It retains its angled plate-glass windows2 and brick wing walls. The most notable exterior alterations are the two bathroom additions tucked behind the wing walls and redecorating the cornice with sheet metal and modern Clark signage. With regard to the interior, the original front sales office and rear storage area layout remain, although the rear storage area has been converted into retail space.

Gas Pump Canopy: (Non-Contributing: 1990)
Three metal posts support this flat-roof gas pump canopy that features sheet-metal edging and Clark signage. A modern gas pump is located by each post. In 1990, the current canopy configuration replaced the parcel's original unsheltered pump layout.

Sign: (Non-Contributing: 1994)
Located immediately adjacent to the N. 151th Street-North Avenue intersection, this modern sign consists of a pair of metal posts that supports a backlit Clark sign and a gas price digital display panel. A modern air compressor kiosk is found underneath the sign.

Storage Shed: (Non-Contributing: Ca. 1970, Modern)
Located at the rear of the station building, this shed-roof storage shed consists of a section fabricated from metal while the other half is covered with wooden sheet siding.

Fence: (Non-Contributing, Modern)
A fence built with vertical wooden boards separates the gas station from an adjacent residential property along the parcel's east side. The same type of fence also shields trash dumpsters along the parcel's north side."
-"Clark Super 100 Gas Station", WisDOT#4996-01-78, Prepared by Heritage Research, Ltd. (Brian J. Faltinson), (2017).

Building Permits; Jim Draeger and Mark Speltz, "Fill’er Up: The Glory Days of Wisconsin Gas Stations," 33-34, 110-11.

Not Listed

Yes