Bob Hunt's Service Station at East 10th Street and Arlington Avenue--1950s

James Robert "Bob" Hunt, who dwelled at 336 North Arlington Avenue, operated his very own Mobil Gas Station from 1955 until 1959 at 990 North Arlington Avenue. City directories indicate that a service station had been in operation on the southwest corner of Arlington Avenue and East 10th Street since at least 1932. Typical of the times, Mr. Hunt operated a full-service station which included tire repair and replacement, oil changes, batteries, spark plugs, and engine repair. Attendants pumped the gas for those who pulled in and washed the cars. Mr. Hunt was a World War II veteran, who had been stationed in the Pacific Theater working in a machine shop and rebuilding torpedoes.

By the mid-1950s, the intersection at of 10th and Arlington had been full developed by Joseph Guidone with a grocery store,  a pharmacy, the Arlington Theater, a bank, and numerous shops. Mr. Hunt's brother, Harold, operated a jewelry store at 6006 East 10th Street. North and east of the intersection, developers were busy adding new housing additions to accommodate the building boom taking place in Indianapolis.

After four years in operation, Mr. Hunt decided that the venture had not been profitable and he went to work for US Naval Avionics to support his wife Ruth and their young son Bob. In 2019, a gas station still operates on the southwest corner of Tenth and Arlington.

Bob Hunt operated a service station on the southwest corner of East 10th and Arlington Avenue from 1955-59. Across the street, you can see the Arlington Supermarket owned by Joseph Guidone, a fabric shop, and a water tower. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

Bob Hunt held the grand opening event for his new service station at 990 North Arlington Avenue on July 27 and 28, 1955. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

Bob Hunt operated a full-service Mobil Gas Station at 990 North Arlington Avenue. In this photo, snapped c1955, Mr. Hunt stood next to his service truck. Behind him, you can see the Arlington Theater and the American Fletcher National Bank on the northeast corner of East Tenth Street and Arlington Avenue. Local residents who needed to get ahold of Mr. Hunt simply called Fleetwood 7-0836. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

Image courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt

Bob Hunt, at the far left, stood with Howard "Bud" Tellman, Max Sharp, and another unidentified employee c1955 at his gas station located at 990 North Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

A special thanks to Robert Harold Hunt for making this post possible.