Early Texaco Fire Chief Sign: Vintage Porcelain Gas Pump Plate – VS4901

The History Of Texaco Signs

Antique Texaco advertising, Gippsland Motor Garage, Old Gippstown. Gippslander2012, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Texaco, has a long history of creating memorable roadside signs for their gas stations. In fact, the Texaco logo itself, featuring a red star with a green "T" inside, has become an iconic symbol of American gasoline. On a Texaco sign, the green "T" stands for Texaco, which is an oil company founded in 1901, as the Texas Fuel Company. The name was changed to Texaco in 1905.

The green "T" is a distinctive part of the Texaco logo, and is often seen alongside the company's red star emblem. The logo has undergone several changes over the years, but the green "T" has remained a constant element.

Texaco has used various slogans over the years, including "The Texas Company," "Star of the American Road," and "You can trust your car to the man who wears the star." However, the green "T" has always remained.

The first Texaco sign was introduced in 1909 and featured the company's name in red letters with a white background. Over the years, the Texaco logo has evolved, with different variations incorporating different color schemes, typography, and graphics. 

Texaco's first neon sign was introduced in 1934 and was an immediate hit with customers. The sign featured the company's iconic red star with a green "T" inside, and was illuminated with neon tubing, which gave the sign a bright, eye-catching glow.

Among the most famous Texaco signs are the "Sky Chief" sign, the "Fire Chief" sign, and the "Marine Lubricants" sign. Texaco also produced a range of roadside illuminated signs that could be seen from a distance.

In the 1950's and 1960's, Texaco began to introduce more modern designs for their signs, incorporating brighter colors and more eye-catching graphics. Some of these signs featured animated elements, such as moving stars or rotating globes, and became more elaborate, incorporating new technologies such as flashing lights and moving parts. Some signs featured animated elements, such as flying airplanes or moving gas pumps.

Despite their popularity, Texaco neon signs began to decline in the 1970s as other forms of advertising became more popular. Many of the neon signs were removed or replaced with more modern designs, and today, vintage Texaco neon signs are highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts.

Today, Texaco signs remain popular with collectors and enthusiasts, with vintage signs fetching high prices at auction. While Texaco has undergone various changes and mergers over the years, their iconic logo and roadside signs continue to be a recognizable symbol of American culture.