Column: Remembering Murray’s Mobile Station in Cadiz

This photo was taken in 1990 by Jim McFarlan and donated to the Harrison County Genealogical Society. That year, McFarlan traveled around Cadiz photographing many of the town’s businesses and several homes, creating a remarkable snapshot of the community’s past.

This picture shows Murray’s Mobile Station, which once stood at the curve where West Market Street ends and Lincoln Avenue begins, near the point where Jamison and Deersville avenues meet as they enter the uptown area.

At that time, these were true “service stations.” The attendant would come out to pump your gas, clean your windshield and, if asked, check your oil. If a customer thought a tire was low, the attendant would check it and add air if needed—all at no cost. It was a much different experience than the self-serve stations we use today.

The building still stands today, and just last week, someone held a yard sale there—a small reminder of how the past still connects with the present.