The Confluence

Life's Activities

Maple Leaf Gas Station - 1931 to 1947

A couple of weeks ago, I went to art workshop at The Confluence/Fort Calgary. Which I haven’t been to in several years. I forget that Calgary has a rich but not a long history. There is several different exhibits including an Ogden Area Gas Station to The Beginnings of the Calgary Herald in its hay day.

I plan to sometime over the winter, to head back down and do some serious looking and reading and to absorb more of my city’s history.

Walter Boote’s Ogden Service Station

Open For Business

In 1925, Walter Boote opened the first service station in Ogden to serve the prospering community that surrounded the Ogden Rail Shops and the new Imperial Oil plant.  Petroleum products and mechanical services were essential to keep the increasing numbers of cars and trucks operating on Calgary streets.

Initially, Walter sold Imperial Oil product along with Good Year tires, Mobil oil and Regal gasoline.  In 1928, he became an independent dealer selling Firestone tires and Willard batteries.  The garage operated as Maple Leaf station from 1931 to 1947, promoting and selling Alberta oil products from the Turner Valley.