Sime Service Station*

Art and Josephine Sime built their service station on the east side of Kingston Avenue in the 1920s, operating it along with a fuel route for many years. It was located just north of Owen and Lizzie Evans' general store. Directly behind the service station building was the former Missouri-Pacific depot once located nearA receipt from the Sime Service Station dating to 1961. Courtesy of Donna Knight. Pauline's east elevator. Sime had moved in the depot building to use for oil storage. Prior to opening his service station Sime was operator of the first gas delivery service in Pauline, a branch of the Standard Oil Co. Standard Oil had two storage tanks on the Burlington Railroad side-track and a tank wagon service that delivered gas and oil. Sime made the deliveries via tank wagon and four mules. Standard Oil later provided him a Model T Ford tank truck to drive. The four "big beautiful mules" and their harnesses became the property of Eno Post, according to the late Glen Parker, a former Pauline resident.

Sime's service station was a hang-out for younger youth of the community during the 1930s, said area resident J. Rolland Post. Kids would go there after school to buy candy and pop. "That was quite the gathering place. It was just a little building but sometimes it'd be full of people," said Post. As an adult patron, he bought the last set of tires that Sime sold, putting them on a 1956 Chevy that his wife drove to and from her teaching job. Sime both repaired and sold tires. "He didn't have the equipment they have nowadays, but he got 'em fixed," Post said, noting that Syberling brand was sold.

Patsy Moore Davis ran the station for a time during the summer of 1968. This proved challenging, as she had four young children in her care, as well as a sprayer-pilot husband who relied on her to pick him up and drive him home at the end of his workday. Still, while running the station, Davis said, she and her family enjoyed visiting with Lizzie Evans, owner of the adjacent general store. Frightened of Sime service station is seen on the left, next to the O.G. Evans General Merchandise Store. Art Sime is pictured in front of his station, along with Lizzie and Owen Evans. Photo is from the Eleanor Thaden Poen collection, courtesy of Donna Knight.being alone at her store, Mrs. Evans frequently urged Davis to stay at the station until she was ready to close her general store. Mrs. Evans was particularly on her guard when gypsies were camped at the nearby Little Blue River, said Davis.

Health issues forced Sime and his wife to close the business during the summer of 1968. Josephine Sime passed away in 1970; Art Sime in 1980. The building out of which they ran their service station was bought by area resident Craig McMahon, who moved it to his farmstead south of Pauline. The former train depot located behind the service station was also sold, the owner moving it to the neighboring community of Deweese. It has since been destroyed.

*This information is taken from "Pauline and Community, 1887-1987, 'A Trail in Time' "; a February 1998 letter written by Glen Parker to Carla Post; and May 2012 interviews with J. Rolland Post, Lois Gates Mohlman and Patsy Moore Davis.

Sime Service Station In The News

Art Simes went to Omaha for his new Ford coach Thursday. He was accompanied by Aaron Jones. –"Pauline" by Mrs. Harvey Jones, The Hastings Democrat, Thursday, Jan. 24, 1929