The Old Hi-Speed Gas Station/Tourist Inn: Jackson, Michigan 1940

Anyone out there old enough to remember the Hi-Speed gas station that was at the junction of E. Michigan Avenue and Ganson Street? It may not be Jackson’s first gas station, but for anyone old enough to recall, it was one of the most decorative and popular.

The location is where the old KMart used to stand, which is now a U-Haul and storage facility, and a Comerica Bank location as well..

The Hi-Speed was more than a gas fillup station: it was a tourist inn and restaurant. It was an impressive building in Art Deco-style and began operating in 1940, owned by the Hickok Oil Company.

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These early gas stations represent more history than you know. Before these stations even existed, gas purchases were made at general stores, hardware stores, and even drug stores.

Take a look at the photo gallery below, then, to see an old aerial view of what this old Hi-Speed station looked like, click this link.