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The Racket

There's an interesting tale behind this abandoned station—one that explains its demise!

 

One day during the 1920s, a "salesman" arrived, telling the owners of the station he had a way for them to make money. He wasn't joking—his briefcase held plates for a ten dollar bill. Hoping to improve their circumstances, the owners succumbed.

 

They built a little room in the back of the station for counterfeiting, and the only entrance was through the window you see here; at the time, it was covered with a wooden hatch, so no one knew there was anything beyond it.

 

The little scheme went well enough for a time, but finally, one of the owners was arrested. His ID of course led police back to the gas station, where a police search revealed the plates. The man went to jail, and the little station was closed—forever, can you believe it?

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Uploaded on December 15, 2011
Taken on April 24, 2011