Rison Texaco Service Station

The Rison Texaco Service Station is an Art Deco–style former gas station located in Rison (Cleveland County). Constructed around 1926 at the corner of Main and Third Streets, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 25, 2002.

Little is known about the history of the building. An article appeared in the Cleveland County Herald on April 29, 1926, announcing the opening of the business. Part of the Texas-based Texaco company, the station was one of a chain that offered gasoline and automobile-related products in every state by 1928. Interviews with local residents conducted at the time of the property’s addition to the National Register indicate that the business operated as part of the Lion Oil Company beginning around 1944.

The business ceased operations at an unknown date, and the gas pumps and related implements were removed. The building held a floral shop before being purchased by I. E. Moore in 1990. The building served as the office of the I. E. Moore Timber Company.

The building is a single-story structure topped with a flat asphalt roof. It rests on a concrete foundation. The building is constructed in an ell, with the main entrance located on the southwest side near Main Street. This end includes three large stationary windows with ornamental details located above the outside windows. Located above the center window is a louvered vent and an ornamental recessed panel. A door is located to the southeast of these windows, and another large single-pane window is located next to it. A small set of one-over-one windows, two fifteen-pane windows, and a second door are located on the southeast side of the building. A small parking area is located on this side of the building, and the gas pumps were also formerly located in this area.

The rear of the building includes two windows, one of which has been covered. The second window is a twelve-pane single hung. The northwest side includes three sets of three windows in a ribbon, with another window located near the rear of the structure. The rear window is a twelve-pane single hung, while the other nine windows are six-over-six single hung. Cloth awnings with metal frames are present over many of the windows and doors.

A Lion Oil sign is located next to the street in front of the building. When the station ceased selling gasoline, the pumps were removed. The Rison Cities Service Station, also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located about one block away.

For additional information:
“Rison Texaco Service Station.” National Register for Historic Places registration form. On file at Arkansas Historic Preservation Office, Little Rock, Arkansas. Online at http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/National-Register-Listings/PDF/CV0033.nr.pdf (accessed July 16, 2020).

David Sesser
Henderson State University