gas stations and gas company advertising, mostly 1930's and 40's

A footnote of interest in history, and I think a lot of people have forgetten, that during world war II, so many men in America were drafted into the military, that in order to keep American jobs alive, and to make munitions, tanks, airplanes, and so many of the suddenly necessary things that fighting the war created a need for, women stopped being treated like domestic prisoners. They even formed a baseball league, since the majority of the baseball players were drafted (See the movie "A League Of Their Own")

Above, good design thinking, why not have the gas station provide shade for the mechanics, cars, and customers? Not just shade, but shelter from rain and snow!

Some time ago, the company Montgomery Ward was like Target. It operated from 1872 to 2001. Then couldn't figure out how to compete with online companies like Amazon.com that had taken it's business model of mail order goods, and improved on it  to where it and the other competition have put Sears, Montgomery Ward, and Kmart out of business or through bankruptcy. Montgomery Ward was so influential, they invented Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. The mail order catalog was deemed as influential on American life as the Websters dictionary http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_Ward

The above is in Portland Oregon, and has been going through a restoration