Cities Service “For People Going Places!”
Cities Service Company was started by an oilman, Henry Latham Dougherty, in 1910 to supply gas and electricity to small public utilities. The next three years saw enormous growth, including the purchasing of the Quapaw Gas Company, much of the Barnsdall Properties, and in addition, the Empire Gas Company. In 1914 the Empire subsidiary discovered oil in Kansas. By 1915 Cities Service Company possessed 98 subsidiaries and had its headquarters on Wall Street.
In 1916 Cities Service bought their first oil refineries in Oklahoma and Texas. By 1918, or the final year of the First World War, Cities Service was the supplier for half of the oil used by the US and its Allies. In 1928 a Cities Service subsidiary discovered oil in the Oklahoma City field which, at the time, was one of the largest oil fields in the world.
In the 1960’s, the Cities Service Company realized the need to modernize its corporate identity. The name CITGO was introduced in 1965, using the word “GO” to promote the company as one with “power, energy and progressiveness.” With the name change came the introduction of the famous red triangle, known as the “trimark” logo. In 1982, Cities Service was sold to Occidental Petroleum. The following spring, CITGO was incorporated, and in August of the same year, was sold to Southland’s 7-Eleven. In 1986, Petróleos de Venezuela bought 50% interest in CITGO, and in 1990, Venezuela’s national oil company bought the remaining half, for total ownership of the CITGO name.
CITGO Petroleum Corporation
1293 Eldridge Parkway
Houston, Texas
Do you have a story to share about Cities Service, or Citgo? Please blog-in and let us know.
11 responses so far ↓
1 tom // Oct 1, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I have 100 shares of Empire Texas Oil company share#5702 Dated 10/24/19 Does it still have value?
2 buck james // Mar 16, 2009 at 7:35 pm
I have an oil lease sighn that says cities sevice oil company. It has a well name and number. It also has there company logo on it. Does it have any value and how old is it?
3 vintagevending // Mar 17, 2009 at 12:51 pm
We aren’t able to give estimates on the value of an item. If you keep an eye on Ebay or maybe Craig’s List, your item is sure to be listed at some point. That may give you a rough idea of it’s value but keep in mind to compare apples to apples. Prices vary greatly depending on condition. If anyone can help with a value of this item please blog in.
4 Connie Meyer // Aug 11, 2009 at 2:11 pm
My grandparents had a Cities Service Station and cafe. My dad worked there before and after serving in WWII, until he got married and got a job with Northwestern Bell Telephone. I remember the bulk truck vividly, and the green sign with the family sign below it “See Meyer’s for tires.” The place was always busy with Grandma’s cooking, and Grandpa’s stories. : )
5 Bill Bell // Aug 19, 2009 at 6:57 pm
I am looking for any info on how the gas compressor station at Tallant, Oklahoma or the Post office got their names
6 Jim Nickerson // Oct 23, 2009 at 7:14 pm
A little history from 1956 to 1973: I went to work for Ark. Fuel Oil Corp. in 1956 as a tank wagon driver. Then in 1957 as agency clerk for the next 7 years. In the meantime Cities bought out the 49% share of Ark Fuel Oil. and Cities then owned 100 % of the Company. In Jan. 1965, I was promoted into sales as the only sales representative in Atlanta. We had (8) small two bay stations at the time. Ben Windham was our Division Mgr. with Bob Moore as Asst. Divn. Mgr. It was in Jan. 1965, Atlanta was made a test market for the Southern Region. I set out as the only sales rep. to find dealers for the potential new streamlined stations to follow. Andrew Re was our realestate rep at time. We bought several prime locations and began to build. I opened my first new station on /Shallowford Rd.–Chamblee, Ga. on Jan. 1, 1966. We only had the Cities Service Credit Card at the time. No bank cards of any kind..It was a real tough time in the beginning as Cities Service was not recognized in the market place. It took another four years 18 hour days to finally open (9) new outlets. By 1969, we were well on our way to becomeing a contender in the Atlanta market place. I had made man of the year in 1966 with the opening of the new outlets with increased throughput. By 1967, we had several more sales reps. in the area. We had gone through many price wars during this time, with gasoline being (36.9) and lower. The colors (red-white-blue) came in with the new Logo. Citgo…Cities Service on the Go…in the late 60s.
It was in 1970 we became involved with the Munford Co. the Majik Markets. to market gasoline through convenient store outlets using the credit card for groceries with purchase of gasoline. (I am rushing through this briefly, as I could probably write a book on this era – going from full service to the self service market concept.) Just a brief of how it was…. Jim N.
7 Jim Nickerson // Oct 23, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Just to add a few more comments: Cities Service Oil Company went through many changes in just a few short years. We topped out at around 55,000 employees during those years. When self-service came in, Cities (or Citgo) scaled back drasticly on personnel. I will say this; the oil companies were the all-time elite when it came to marketing…..Cities Service Oil Co. was the best over-all managed Company in existence. After 57 years in the job market – I will bear witness to this fact…Jim N.
8 Rick // Jan 23, 2010 at 12:20 pm
I have a set of Cities Service Oil Company promotional gift prints of antique fire trucks and would like to find out when they were printed or when this promotion was done. The set consist of three 10″x8″ prints, the folder they came in, and the mailing envelope. The return address on the envelop is “Cities Service Oil Company, 60 Wall Street, New York 5, New York. The set was produced by The McCleery Cumming Co in Washington, Iowa and were mailed from there location
9 John Latimer // Apr 21, 2010 at 7:06 pm
I just purchased a Cities Service sign that is black and white. Most of the Cities Service advertising I’ve seen have been in green. Is there any reference to these signs ever being black on white like mine? How old is this thing?
10 vintagevending // Apr 26, 2010 at 4:05 pm
John,
I found this link showing a 10 inch black and white porcelain Cities Service Sign priced at $750. http://www.oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=183740
It’s a forum, so I’m sure you could ask them how old the sign is.
11 hunter ballagh // Aug 2, 2010 at 9:59 am
Just bought a cities service gas pump in working condition do you know of any decals for it .
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