The little filling station, known as the Bourn Texaco Station, was not always a Texaco station. It had its beginning in 1926, as an independent gas pump in front of a small grocery store with living quarters in the back. The store faced Main Street in Winters, Texas (Highway 83), with McAdoo Street on the south running parallel to North View Cemetery. Did you know that gasoline prices dropped as low as nine cents for “white” gasoline, and peaked at fifteen cents in the summer of 1930. All gasoline at this time was regular gas, though grades differed. Nine cents from 1930 equals $1.26 in 2017. On February 7, 1968 J.S. Bourn passed away at the age of sixty-two years. At his death, the property was acquired by his son, Jimmy. On February 15, 1988, Jimmy sold to Bagwell Enterprises in Ballinger. For thirty-two years the little station held a place of prominence fronting Main Street in Winters, but it stood on the lot for a total of sixty-three years. During that interim it was used as an office for a used car lot, a gin weight station, and grocery store, and in the early 1950s as an office for Johnson’s Well Testing Service. Finally, it was used as storage for old tires and baled hay. modern vintage items to wear for maid of the bride
In 1989, Dr. Rode bought the building from Bagwell Enterprises and moved in to the Village where it was restored and still stands before us today. In the process of restoration workers discovered the Dr. Pepper sign on one end of the building. Dr. Pepper officials were contacted and at once they sent veteran sign painter Bill Dry, to do the work. He was assisted by E.A. Vanmeter, a Dr. Pepper official. The two remembered that this particular sign came into use in 1931 or’32, and that in 1934 the Company began phasing them out. This would fix the time the sign was first painted on the building during Mrs. Franklin’s ownership, and while the station was under lease to Magnolia through the 1930-1933 period.
