MONROE - Now home to a water-conditioning business, a former Pure Oil station on 9th Street in Monroe has been featured in the new book "Fill 'er Up: the Glory Days of Wisconsin Gas Stations" from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press. First opened in 1935, the quaint English Cottage-style design is in keeping with the domestic image Pure Oil strove for in the '30s, though its bright blue tile roof was meant to be an eye-catching symbol of the company to passing motorists. The station continued to dispense fuel until the 1970s. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as an example of early-twentieth-century architecture used a commercial marketing technique and corporate symbol. Even its downspouts were embossed with the Pure Oil monogram.

"Fill 'er Up: The Glory Days of Wisconsin Gas Stations" (ISBN: 978-0-87020-393-0; Hardcover: $29.95) was released in October. Authors Jim Draeger and Mark Speltz take readers on a nostalgic trip down memory lane in "Fill 'er Up," sharing the stories of the people who ran (and still run) these stations and revealing the unexpected social and historical importance the stations have had for their communities. Richly illustrated with historic photos, images of classic advertisements, and beautiful contemporary photos by Mark Fay, this full-color book shows why historic gas stations should be preserved and what place they have in the 21st century and beyond.

The first book in the Places along the Way series from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, "Fill 'er Up" traces the history of these ubiquitous roadside structures, giving readers a guided tour around the state to 59 historic gas stations in Wisconsin.