THE PETRIFIED WOOD GAS STATION

The Petrified Wood Gas Station stands like a relic from a bygone era on the east side of Decatur. E.F. Boydston built a gas station in 1927 and eight years later decided to cover its exterior with chunks of petrified wood and didn’t stop once he started. He even covered the walls of his next-door cafe and motor court with petrified wood as well. The cafe closed in 1964, the cabins around 1970 and the gas station in 1989. They all passed into the hands of one of E.F.’s grandchildren who didn’t have the heart to tear it down and spent a decade restoring the entire complex to its 1945 glory. Stop by and snap a picture in front of the historical marker in front of the building with more information on these intriguing buildings.