Phillips 66 Gasoline Sign

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Object Details

Description

Building Route 66 in the mid-1920s stirred public excitement. Motorists could anticipate an all-weather route from Chicago to Los Angeles and reduced dependence on passenger trains. One symbol of infatuation with the new highway is the Phillips 66 gasoline trade name. Introduced in 1927, the name was inspired by a test drive at 66 miles per hour on a stretch of Route 66 in Oklahoma. The Phillips 66 sign, unveiled in 1930, combined the trade name with the shape of a US highway route marker. The sign has continued in use with minor revisions. This example was made in 1956.

Credit Line

Gift of Phillips Petroleum Company

date made

1956

ID Number

1996.0387.01

accession number

1996.0387

catalog number

1996.0387.01

Object Name

sign

Physical Description

steel (overall material)

porcelain enamel (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 76 cm x 75 cm x 2 mm; 29 29/32 in x 29 17/32 in x 3/32 in

See more items in

Work and Industry: Transportation, Road

America on the Move

Transportation

Road Transportation

Exhibition

America On The Move

Exhibition Location

National Museum of American History

Data Source