Historic Austin Gas Station at 1500 San Jacinto

By: James Wilder

This historic building, located at 1500 San Jacinto, may be the best preserved gas station in Austin. But how long will it survive on a multi-million dollar lot in downtown Austin?

The station is a Conoco Service Station built in 1942. The architecture of the building is similar to other Texas gas stations built by Conoco in the 1940s.

In 1961 the state of Texas acquired the property but eventually sold it to a private investor.

According to a City of Austin document, "the structure on this site is not designated a landmark."

My guess is that the main reason this gas station survived is because it was owned by the state of Texas for so long.

The latest information I could find on this building is it will soon be a terminal for Megabus.

Megabus, branded as megabus.com, is an intercity bus service that provides discount travel services.

It appears, from reading some city planning documents available online, that the city of Austin requires that Megabus not alter the structure in a way that destroys the architecturally significant features.

I hope the little Conoco among the skyscrapers and parking garage has a long life!

If you have any historic photos of this building we would be happy to include them with this article.