Vintage Texaco Gas Station in Consul Saskatchewan

Rediscovering Nostalgia: The Vintage Texaco Gas Station Display in Consul, Saskatchewan

In the quiet, windswept prairies of southwestern Saskatchewan lies the tiny village of Consul, a place where time seems to slow down amid vast fields and endless skies. Captured in this evocative photograph is a slice of mid-20th-century Americana, or rather, Canadiana, a retro Texaco gas station setup that harkens back to the golden era of road trips and full-service fill-ups. The image shows a towering Texaco sign with its iconic red star and green "T," perched atop a white pole, overlooking a pair of classic red-and-white gas pumps labeled "Premium" and bearing the Texaco logo. Parked beside them is a rusty maroon vintage pickup truck, possibly a Mercury model from the 1940s or 1950s, its weathered body and faded license plate adding to the authentic patina of abandonment and preservation. The gravel lot, overcast sky, and distant buildings in the background evoke a sense of isolation, yet also timeless charm. This isn't a functioning station but a preserved historical display on private land, spotted recently by traveler Kass during a visit to the area about a month ago in July 2025.

Consul, with a population of just 50 as of the 2021 census, sits at the intersection of Highway 21 and the historic Red Coat Trail (Highway 13), near the U.S. border with Montana. This agricultural community, part of the Rural Municipality of Reno No. 51, has long been a waypoint for those traversing the prairies, offering essential services like a bakery, motel, and co-op store to locals and passersby. The village's remote location, about 211 kilometres southwest of Swift Current, makes it a hidden gem for history enthusiasts seeking authentic remnants of the past. While Consul boasts an online-only museum dedicated to preserving the region's watershed history and stories through a virtual platform run by volunteers, physical artifacts like this Texaco display appear to be privately maintained, adding to the area's grassroots charm.

The Texaco brand itself carries a rich legacy in North America. Founded as The Texas Company in 1902, Texaco expanded into Canada in the early 20th century, becoming a familiar sight at service stations across the country. These stations often featured the distinctive star emblem and offered not just fuel but also mechanical services, oil changes, and a sense of community for travelers. In Saskatchewan, where vast distances between towns made reliable gas stops essential, Texaco outlets dotted rural landscapes like Consul. The company operated independently until its merger with Chevron in 2001, after which many stations were rebranded or closed. Today, vintage Texaco memorabilia evokes nostalgia for an era when gas pumps were mechanical marvels and attendants in uniforms provided "full service." This particular display in Consul, documented in photos as early as July 2023, includes a classic Mercury pickup truck alongside the pumps, capturing the essence of a bygone roadside stop. It's not operational, likely a collector's setup on private property, serving instead as a static tribute to automotive heritage rather than a fuelling point.

What makes this site special is its unpretentious preservation. Unlike formalized museums, such as the Little Chief Service Station in Saskatoon (a 1929 Texaco-built heritage property now protected as a municipal site), Consul's display feels personal and accessible. Travellers like Kass, who encountered it during a recent exploration of the region, describe it as an "awesome piece of history" a sentiment echoed in online shares from visitors appreciating its authenticity amid the prairie's stark beauty. The overcast weather in the photo mirrors the area's often dramatic skies, where blistering summers and brutal winters have shaped resilient communities. Such spots remind us of how gas stations were once social hubs, where locals gathered for news, repairs, and a break from the road.

In an age of modern convenience stores and electric charging stations, relics like this Texaco setup in Consul stand as poignant reminders of simpler times. They preserve not just objects but stories—of migration along the Red Coat Trail, the oil boom's impact on rural Canada, and the enduring spirit of small-town Saskatchewan. If you're road-tripping through the southwest, pull over in Consul; you might just spot this timeless scene yourself, much like Kass did, and feel the pull of history in the prairie wind.