After years of careful restoration retired La Grande priest, Father Hank, the downtown La Grande Texaco is now open for business. The authentic 1950s service station quietly started pumping gas and repairing cars earlier this week. The station's attendants wear period uniforms and they take the term "service station" seriously. A 1950s vintage car counter will soon be installed in the station's office, which also displays shelves of Texaco collectibles.

The Texaco Station is located at the corner of Adams Avenue and Greenwood in the heart of La Grande's downtown historic district. It has been the site of the Friday Night Cruise In for over a year; a weekly gathering for visiting and resident car enthusiasts to show off their vehicles, visit and speak "autoese."

The Texaco Station is a perfect complement to Houghts 24 Flavors Ice Cream just a few blocks west on Adams. Houghts didn't take much to restore when it reopened about five years ago. The traditional ice cream parlor and burger joint had been boarded up for a couple of decades, with all of the 1950s furnishings in tact. It is now a very popular stop for delicious burgers, shakes, ice cream and other comfort food at great bargain prices. Don't miss either of these delightful businesses when on your next trip along Interstate 84 in northeast Oregon. They are among the many ways in which La Grande Surprises!