Boaters who pull up to a recently installed gas pump at the Ilion Marina are in for a surprise.
This Texaco gas pump is from the 1940s and while it is not hooked up to pump gas it is attracting quite a bit of attention.
The antique gas pump is a gift to the marina from Herkimer resident Henry Gaffey who said the pump had been stored in his garage, where he showed it to visitors.
“People connect to old gas pumps,” he said. “I thought it should be in a public or quasi public place. I thought of the canal system and the Ilion Marina.” Gaffey added that he was sure the pump would be well cared for at the marina.
Harbor Master Don Sterling said the pump has received plenty of attention since it was installed. “I’ve seen more people stop and look at that pump and have their pictures taken by it,” he said.
He added that some boaters have pulled up hoping for a fill-up and while they were sure to like the price on the Texaco pump — 15 9/10 cents per gallon — they had to be directed on to the working pumps a short distance away.
Sterling said the pump has been bolted onto a foundation to secure it and will be removed and stored inside during the winter to keep it in top condition.
In addition to the pump, Gaffey donated a pair of framed color photographs of the canal taken in 1951 by Frank Forte.
Sterling said the photographs will be hung in the marina office.
Ilion, N.Y. —
