At the corner of Bonaventure Road and Mechanics Avenue in Thunderbolt is a slice of pure Americana. Pure, literally. This is the building that was the Pure Oil gas station operated by Freddie Byrd in the 1940s and 1950s.
Frankie Kerby and Cookie Espinoza revived it as Airbnb studio called The Gas Station. Frankie is a self-proclaimed ‘motorhead’ who loves all things historic and automotive, so they worked to make the decor inside reflect the building’s heritage.
A large print of a vintage black and white photo is a clear focal point. It shows three gas station attendants in Pure uniforms and caps standing next to gas pumps in front of the building. Exactly as one might photograph it today.
“When we bought this building from Scott Poppell, he was kind enough to give us the canvas. His mother obtained the photo from a Thunderbolt family album and blew it up as a gift to Scott. One wonders who are the three men or the little boy who looks behind the sycamore.
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Going back even further, Frankie explained the age-old significance of the location. The Grand Prize of the Automobile Club of America race was held in Savannah in November 1908. It was the first-ever Grand Prix road race in the United States.
The 400-mile race (approximately 15 laps around the 26-mile course) attracted teams from automakers around the world. Fiat took a victory in less than a minute over Benz with an average speed of 65 mph.
“That corner was very important. It was the pit row. Frankie showed me an original map of the race hanging on the wall. “At the time, Victory Drive was called Dale Avenue. What is now Mechanics Avenue didn’t have a name, so we believe it was given that name as a result of the race.
The card itself is a rarity. It shows the route to Bethesda through interesting stretches of yesteryear: Chatham County Farm, Cattle Park, Placentia Tract, Poplar Grove, Sacksville, Rose Farm, and more. .
The map was a gift from a neighbor who supports the restoration of the site. His grandfather somehow got the original metal impression die and 200 copies of the card. “The die is a treasure; if they ever want to sell it, we’d love to hang it here next to the map.
Frankie pledged to celebrate the building and its place in history for “that pit loop that is now Mechanics Avenue.” The effort appears to be just the latest twist in his own life story.
“My dad started racing in 1957 at the old Effingham Dragway, and I started at Dragstrip Savannah as soon as I was able to obtain a learner’s permit. I quit racing in the late 1990s and started building stock car engines for teams and drivers at Oglethorpe Speedway.
Around 2005, he turned to automotive restoration of rare cars. He just finished work on a 1964½ Mustang Coupe. “It’s called a survivor – Dearborn’s No. 930 chassis in Mustang’s first year.”
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The apartment features races and automobiles from every angle. “That’s pretty cool,” Frankie said as he examined an antique Goodyear tire. “When I found it in an antique store in Milledgeville along the Heritage Highway, I must have had it. From its size and date code, I know it’s a series that would have might have fit one of those 1908 runners.”
I think many other rooms qualify the apartment as a museum. There was an early 1900’s 5 gallon container with a sight glass that was used to calibrate gas pumps. There’s a vintage Tiolene motor oil can and a bottle that even predates the can.
Two end tables show off Frankie’s welding skills: one constructed from exhaust pipes from a Ducati motorcycle, another from engine parts and connecting rods.
“For the dining room and kitchen, we tried to get the cozy feel of a 50s restaurant and soda store. There’s the Formica table, the Tom’s and Lance cracker jars , moon pies.
“Back when you went to the gas station with your dad, and he let you get a packet of salted peanuts to pour into your Coke.”
Ben Goggins, a retired marine biologist, lives on Tybee Island. He can be reached at 912-547-3074 or [email protected].
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