by A. Wayne Ferens
Images Courtesy of the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, Gulf Oil and the Ferens Collection
Published 1.29.2025
There are still over 2100 Gulf service stations operating throughout the United States. Some are original stations like this one in Bedford, Pennsylvania along the Lincoln Highway, owned and operated by the Dunkle family since 1933. The Art Deco architecture was meant to reflect a sleek, modern style that symbolized wealth and sophistication. (Ferens Collection)
Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I could see the Gulf Tower located downtown from any direction, as well as from any hill along the three rivers that form the Ohio River at the Point.
The 44-story Gulf Tower at 7th & Grant Street was constructed in 1930 and was the tallest building in Pittsburgh until 1970. Photo: Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
The Gulf Oil Corporation, founded in 1901 by Andrew W. Mellon and William Larimer Mellon, was a major global oil company from the early 1900s until the 1980s. Gulf was one of the so-called "Seven Sisters" oil companies and became the ninth largest American manufacturing company by 1979. Prior to its merger with Standard Oil of California, Gulf was one of the chief assets of the legendary Mellon family fortune. Both Gulf and Mellon Financial had their headquarters in Pittsburgh.
The original Gulf logo from 1920 (Gulf Oil)
The business that became Gulf Oil started with the discovery of oil at Spindletop Hill, near Beaumont, Texas in 1901. The enormous oil gusher led the company investors to promote the development of a modern refinery at nearby Port Arthur to process the oil.
Gulf was incorporated in 1907 through the amalgamation of a number of oil businesses, principally the J.M. Guffey Petroleum Company, Gulf Pipeline Company and the Gulf Refining business in Texas. Through the 1920s and 1930s, Gulf expanded a network of pipelines and refineries in the eastern and southern United States that required large investments of capital that Mellon Bank was more than happy to provide.
An early Gulf Oil ad
Gulf was one of the early oil companies to promote branded products that were sold to the automobile industry and driving consumers. Whether they were buying oil for their Model T or Duesenberg, drivers could be assured of the product’s quality and consistent standards.
At the turn of the 20th century, if you were lucky enough to be able to purchase a new motorized horseless carriage -- later known as the automobile -- your choices were limited regarding where you could purchase fuel and oil. Early motorists purchased non-branded gasoline at hardware stores, blacksmith shops, and even some grocery stores, especially if they already carried kerosene for home lighting. The fuel would be scooped or poured from a barrel into a can to then fill the car. The fuel was often contaminated or of unreliable quality.
Gulf’s first drive-in filling station in Pittsburgh (Ferens Collection)
Gulf changed all that when they opened their very first drive-in filling station on Baum Boulevard in Pittsburgh's east end on December 1, 1913. This added to the company’s vertically integrated business that included exploration, production, transport, refining and now marketing. Gulf quickly expanded its fuel, lubricant and grease products marketed through the expanding service station business.
Gulf Oil grew steadily over the next several decades expanding throughout the U.S. and into Canada, Colombia, Kuwait and Venezuela. The company also involved itself in petrochemicals and automobile component manufacturing.
Gulf became familiar around the globe in the 1960s when Grady Davis, then Gulf's Executive Vice President and a racing enthusiast, created the first corporate sponsored race team around Pittsburgh Chevrolet dealer Don Yenko and driver Dick Thompson as a test lab for Gulf's automotive products. Davis’ efforts established the Corvette as a genuine competition sports car.
A Gulf-sponsored Corvette race car (Ferens Collection)
A Gulf-sponsored Corvette was driven by Don Yenko to evaluate Gulf's fuel and lubricants formulated for performance and racing applications. The Gulf research lab opened in 1935 and was located in Harmar Township just outside of Pittsburgh. For decades, the lab was one of the leading industrial research centers in the world, employing over 2,000 scientist and engineers.
In 1966, Davis decided to capitalize on the advertising potential of the sport by involving Gulf in the sponsorship of a 1967 team of lightweight GT40 (Mirage)-based cars built and managed through (JWA), John Wyer Automotive. Over the next three years, the Gulf-JWA team GT40s would dominate Brands-Hatch, Spa, Monza, Watkins Glen, Sebring and winning Le Mans two years running.
In the 1970s, Gulf teamed up with Porsche -- then the John Wyer Mirages, competing and winning through 1975.
A Gulf Oil magazine ad
Today’s race cars are high-performance advertising billboards that generate millions of dollars that support teams in just about every type of motorsports, thanks to the vision of Grady Davis.
By 1980, Gulf’s huge but poorly performing asset portfolio and depressed stock price stirred the interest of corporate raiders. T. Boone Pickens of Mesa Petroleum, Ashland Oil and Standard Oil (rebranded as Chevron) made offers to Gulf. After Gulf divested many of its worldwide operating subsidiaries, the company merged with Chevron in 1985. The effect on the Pittsburgh area was devastating. Today, the brand is owned by the Gulf Oil Limited Partnership in the U.S. that operates several petroleum terminals and service stations.
Whatever the future holds for Gulf Oil one thing is certain, the Powder Blue cars accented in Marigold Orange trim will continue to be the most recognized race cars in history.
The Porsche 917- #022 was featured in the 1971 movie "Le Mans" starring Steve McQueen. Painted in Gulf livery, the car was briefly owned by McQueen himself. The value of the 917 today is estimated at over $25 million dollars. (Ferens Collection)
The Gulf/JWAE GT40-1075 on its way to their second Le Mans win in 1969 with Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver.
Read more about Gulf Racing in this article from our partner, The Henry Ford's blog:
GT40 #1075 – A Two-Time Le Mans Champion -- The Henry Ford Blog
Bibliography:
Swensrud, Sydney A. “Gulf Oil: The First 50 Years.”
Sampson, Anthony. “The Seven Sisters.” 1976.
Wheeler & Whited. “Oil.” 1958.
McDonough, Ed. “Gulf Mirage 1967-1982.” 2012.