NOW LOCATED AT
1168 e. Sangamon ave.
Springfield Illinois 62702
Next to Fulgenzi’s Pizza & Pasta
Mahan’s Filling Station Moves to a new location
The former Mahan’s Filling Station, a centerpiece of the now-closed Shea’s Route 66 Museum in Springfield, was moved on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016 a short distance to the east side of Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta. New owner Jeff Fulgenzi, who believes the building may date to as early as 1917, and is certainly one of the oldest surviving filling stations in the state, plans to restore it as closely as possible to its original state. Originally a Phillips 66 Station, Mahan’s was moved 21 miles from Middletown by Williamsville contractor Dave Turner in February 2000 and relocated within the museum compound, where it was restored. The move was completed in a little over three hours Sunday by employees of Shaner’s Towing under the direction of Moss Excavating owner Bill Moss.
The Mahan’s Filling Station building, carefully secured on the rear of a large flatbed trailer pulled by Shaner’s Towing, makes its way slowly north on Peoria Road (Old Rt. 66) in route to its new home next to Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Bill Fulgenzi, the new owner of Mahan’s, stands on a Bobcat at left after the old station had been moved next to its new home at Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Shaner’s Towing employees carefully unload the Mahan’s Filling Station building Sunday from the rear of a large flatbed trailer on the east side of its new home next to Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta on the Route 66 corridor across from the Illinois State Fairgrounds. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
In this photograph taken on April 3, 2012, Mahan’s Filling Station can be seen next to Shea’s Gas Station and Museum, a Springfield and Old Route 66 landmark which first opened in 1995 at 2075 Peoria Rd. Photo by David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
In this photograph taken on April 3, 2012, three generations of the Shea family stand for a portrait in front of Mahan’s Filling Station next to Shea’s Gas Station and Museum, a Springfield and Old Route 66 landmark which first opened in 1995 at 2075 Peoria Rd. From left to right: Bill Shea, then 90, Shea’s great-grandson Jordan Shea, 10, and Bill Shea’s son Bill Shea. Photo by David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Vintage oil cans and signs hang from the ceiling inside the former Mahan’s filling station on the museum property seen here on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. A series of three auctions will be held selling the inside and outside contents of Shea’s Gas Station and Museum in Springfield. The Route 66 landmark first opened in 1995 at 2075 Peoria Road by Bill Shea, who passed away in December, 2013 and whose relationship with the Mother Road began in 1946 when he operated a Texaco service station nearby followed by a Marathon station at the current museum site from 1955-1982. After being on the market for the last several years with no offers to purchase the property intact, the Shea family contracted with Auburn’s Adcock Auction Service, with the first auction taking place Oct. 10. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The former Mahan’s Filling Station can be seen at left in background as customers line up to register for the auction at Shea’s Gas Station and Museum in Springfield on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015. Ted Schurter/The State Journal-Register
Art Heinold of Springfield, Bill Shea’s brother-in-law, was helping out with the move Sunday. Here he takes a quick break next to an old rusted Packard Motor Cars thermometer still affixed to the outside of Mahan’s. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Several Bobcats were used at the outset of the move on Sunday morning to move the Mahan’s building away from the original recreated fuel island, a portion of which can be seen at far left with Shea’s Route 66 Museum in the background. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Several Bobcats were used at the outset of the move on Sunday morning to move the Mahan’s building away from the original recreated fuel island. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Shaner’s Towing employee Travis Childers gives the thumbs before the Mahan’s building was temporarily placed on large timbers before placement on the flatbed trailer for the move. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The Mahan’s building was moved away from the recreated fuel island and piers supporting the front roof of the structure on Sunday morning by several Bobcats working in tandem. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The evidence of Bill Shea’s quirky collecting habits-in this case a large rubber or plastic house fly-could be seen hanging from the ceiling underneath the front of Mahan’s Filling Station before making the move to it’s new home. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
An enlarged photograph of Mahan’s Filling Station owner Harry Mahan taken in September, 1939 that was part of a few pieces of memorabilia that came with the building, can be seen through a front window of his old establishment before the move took place Sunday. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Devin Fulgenzi, 8, was helping his dad Jeff Fulgenzi-the new owner of Mahan’s-with certain tasks relating to the move, like removing pieces of lumber from the rear of Fulgenzi’s pickup truck that would be used as bracing material related to the securing of the building. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
After the Mahan’s building was moved away from its’ earthen foundation at Shea’s, an old sheet of what are believed to be Marathon Gasoline station stamps revealed itself-probably something that got blown underneath from Bill Shea’s original collection. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Building owner Jeff Fulgenzi retrieves the metal Mahan’s Filling Station sign from inside the building before it was placed on the flatbed truck for the move. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The outline of the original Shea’s lettering on the front of the old Rt. 66 museum building-a former Marathon gas station- could be seen Sunday morning. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Traffic is held up as the long Shaner’s Towing trailer guided by driver Jeremy Brozio is backed-up into the former Shea’s Museum lot where the Mahan’s building would be loaded onto it. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Shaner’s Towing employee Jon Daley at center, directs driver Jeremy Brozio on the placement of the long flatbed trailer inching towards the Mahan’s building while it was still situated next to Shea’s Museum. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The long Shaner’s flatbed trailer is angled into place to receive the Mahan’s Station while it still sat next the Shea’s Museum. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Williamsville contractor Dave Turner at right dropped by to offer support during the move. Speaking with new Mahan’s station owner Jeff Fulgenzi seen at left, Turner talked with him about the 2000 move from Middletown. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The metal Mahan’s Filling Station sign retrieved from inside the building by new owner Jeff Fulgenzi rests on the hood of his truck. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Bill Moss at left front directs the trailer with the Mahan’s Filling Station building on board out of its’ former home at Shea’s and onto the Mother Road Sunday morning in route to its new home next to Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The Mahan’s Filling Station building, carefully secured on the rear of a large flatbed trailer pulled by Shaner’s Towing, makes its way slowly north on Peoria Road (Old Rt. 66) in route to its new home next to Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
This view looking south on Peoria Road Sunday morning shows the Mahan’s Filling Station building on board the flatbed truck in route to its new home next to Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The Mahan’s building slowly makes the turn west on Sangamon Ave. at Peoria Rd. late Sunday morning. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The Mahan’s building slowly makes the turn west on Sangamon Ave. at Peoria Rd. late Sunday morning. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
A couple Route 66 buffs showed up to take pictures of the move, including Springfield resident Josh Friedrich, sporting a Rt. 66 ball-cap. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
John Fulgenzi, owner of Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta along with his wife Sandy, peers out the window of his restaurant while the Mahan’s building was placed outside late Sunday morning. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The Mahan’s Filling Station building is carefully lowered down next to its new home alongside Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The Mahan’s Station-lacking the fuel island and support piers which will eventually be reconnected to the building-is seen next to its new home alongside Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
The Mahan’s Station was built by Butler Manufacturing Company. An original 1924 catalogue showing several of their filling station buildings at right was included in memorabilia purchased along with it by Jeff Fugenzi in the November, 2015 auction. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
This photo from the Butler Manufacturing Company 1924 catalogue is believed to show the similar model of the Mahan’s station. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register
Shaner’s Towing employees as well as Art Heinold at right, enjoy a pizza lunch inside Fulgenzi’s Pizza and Pasta after the job of moving the Mahan’s building was completed Sunday afternoon. David Spencer/The State Journal-Register