Remember when you went to the gas station and told them to filler'up? The gas station attendant would come and greet you with a smile, and tend to your needs.

They would fill the tank, clean your windows, check the oil and even put air in your tires, all for pennies a gallon. Those were the days in the 1930s, it was all hands on deck. But, as the economy grew, services shrunk.

We were lucky to have several such gas stations in town. 

There was was a welding garage at 16 W. Main St. Earl Young with help from Clark Pierce rented the building and sold gas from 1939-42. After 1957 the Marathon Gas Station stood where the Maple Leaf Hotel was. Today, it's the high rise apartments overlooking the lake.

On the edge of town we had a diner with a gas station for people passing through or the residents that lived out in the country. It was the Zurich Café on Route 12 and Route 22.

We also had the Zurich Café out on Rt. 12 and Rt. 22 they had a place to dine and get gas.

They didn’t have credit cards like today, it was cash on the spot. You would open your wallet and still have something left after you paid the attendant. We have credit cards for every gas station or we can always pick another type of credit card.

A gallon of gas sold for under a $1. Prices for a gallon of gas have really skyrocketed. Due to the broken Alaskan and Gulf pipelines, gas prices have soared, edging ever closer to $4 a gallon.

It would be nice if our money gave us more, like that gas station attendant who used to greet us with a smile and do all those little things that meant so much.

Take the Weekly History Mystery Quiz

Now, test your knowledge about Lake Zurich History and take the "History Mystery" quiz by viewing the photos to see if you know any information about it. The answer will be provided on Sunday.

If you have a question or contribution about Lake Zurich history, post them here and the Ela Historical Society will provide the answer. If you have your own historic information or photos about Lake Zurich's history to share, please do

The Ela Historical Society welcomes your questions, donations and participation in this column.

Bringing Back the Past appears every Saturday with the "History Mystery" photo contest and then on Sunday to provide the answer.