North Gate Station / The Outdoor Adventure Store

The North Gate Service Station on Main Street has its history in a developing Farmville. Now an outdoor adventure store which caters to Farmville's rich outdoor experiences, the building has existed in many forms throughout the community's history. From an old gas station which sprung up to cater to the introduction of cars, to a quirky restaurant called hobo palace, the gas station has a colorful history in Farmville.

The North Gate Service Station was one of Farmville’s first gas stations. Farmville had its roads paved between 1910 and 1915 which were paid for from a tax on alcohol sold at a local dispensary. Within just a couple of years the town had its roads completely paved through this tax alone. The gas station attendant, resident O.A Shepard had been working at a car dealership at the current site of Perini Pizza on Main Street. After the dealership closed down he decided to open up the Texaco station to cater to the new influx of cars in Farmville.

The station used to have a second story which adjoined the adjacent building, the Farmville Grocery Company. The owners of the station cut into the brick of the Farmville Grocery Company and used a catwalk to store surplus gas in the upper floors. After its time as a service station, the building was used by a number of small businesses even a fast food restaurant named Hobo Palace. Today, the building is used as an outdoor adventure store which sells outdoor sports and camping equipment. Despite recent renovations, the star from the Texaco symbol can be seen on the face of the building, as well as the location of the cutaway used for gas storage on the Farmville Grocery Company.

Sources:

The Farnville Historical Society

Bradshaw, History of Farmville, 82