Station 66 History
Five Generations of Memories
Helen Adams stands in front of Cecil’s 1927 Essex Coach at the service station they operated on the corner of Van Buren and Kendall Street in Battle Creek.
Cecil Adams stands in front of his 1927
Essex Coach which he purchased used
in 1931 for $199.00.
Helen Adams with 3 1/2 year old
daughter, Martha Anne at the service
station in Battle Creek, ca. 1930.
1929–1935
In 1929 Claud and Celia Adams, along with their son Cecil and wife Helen, opened Adams Tire Company and operated a gas station in downtown Battle Creek. (Images 2, 3, & 4)
It was at both of these shops that Cecil used his skills as a graduate of the Harley Davidson Mechanic School to work on automobiles. Unfortunately, almost 4 months to the day of opening Adams Tire Company, the series of October Wall Street crashes began which heralded the beginning of the Great Depression. Due to this catastrophic event, the family lost both businesses in the 1930’s. They worked a series of odd jobs to make ends meet, but the family’s dream was not forgotten.
Celia and Claud Adams with their dog, Casey Jones, in front of the station, c. 1937–38.
1935–1959
On December 5, 1935 Claud and Celia bought land that they referred to as “the farm,” on which they built their gas station in 1936—the building where Station 66 occupies today.
Cecil and Helen, along with baby Martha, joined them soon after. For a time, the whole family lived in the old farmhouse on D Drive South. (Image 5) Claud had been a farmer prior to working as an oil salesman, and they grew various crops.
Cecil, of course, brought his training and experience as a mechanic and before too long, built their home on the south end of the property. (Image 10) The station was a convenient spot for people to stop and get gas, snacks, sodas, and the newspaper on their way to and from Battle Creek.
In 1940, however, a new safety law went into effect requiring all gas stations to be farther away from any highway. The station was too close to M-78, so in 1940, Claud and Cecil moved the structure 100 feet and rotated it 90 degrees. Since this involved a good deal of construction anyway, they used the opportunity to build an addition that would allow space to sell more
merchandise and offer auto repairs, tires, oil changes, and more. (Image 6)
When Martha was old enough, she helped her grandparents at the gas station. (Image 7) It was there, pumping gas, that she met a dashing young man, Calvin Coolidge Tramel, when he stopped to fill his car. They began dating and were eventually married. 8 Calvin and Martha went on to have two sons, Christopher and Stephen Tramel.
“The farm,” as it appeared around the time Claud and Celia Adams purchased it in December 1935.
Claud Adams, screwdriver in hand, pauses
for a photo during the construction of the
station addition. They moved the original
building (on the right side of the photo) to
this location in 1940.
Martha Anne Adams, age 14, posing beside a gas pump at the station, 1941.
Calvin and Martha Tramel, with their dog
on a warm spring day (with the station in
background), ca. 1952.
Martha Tramel, leans on her father’s 1947 Chevy Fleetmaster, ca. 1952. The station, with its Phillips 66 gas pumps, can be seen in the upper left, while Jack Nesbitt’s grocery store can be seen in the upper right.
Calvin, Cecil, and Claud take a break from
yard work outside Cecil’s house, ca. 1950.
Chris and Patricia Tramel standing next to the 1949 Ford tractor used for hayrides.
1959–2009
In 1959, the station was forced to close when the State of Michigan began construction on M-66, which was replacing M-78, the highway that ran close to the station.
The last day of business was September 18, 1959. The family received $2,700 compensation from the state for the land and loss of the business. For years, they simply used the building for storage. As a young boy in the late 1970’s, Curt (son of Chris and Pat Tramel) would spend time in the building, pacing back and forth, dreaming of opening his own business there someday. He grew up and became an electrician like his father and grandfathers, but his childhood dream was not forgotten. By the early 2000s, the structure had fallen into disrepair.
In 2004, Chris Tramel was faced with the difficult decision: make improvements or tear it down—it was no longer insurable. (Image 12) He thought about razing the building, but reconsidered and set about making the necessary improvements to keep the building insured. The crew hired to replace the aging siding wanted to tear down the parapet—the now-iconic shape of the front of the station. It wasn’t structurally necessary, they said. His son Curt saw that it was an important and distinctive architectural feature and so it stayed. (Image 13) It was in this time of the mandated upgrades to the building that Curt truly decided to commit to his childhood dream of opening a business here. He began talking to his family and friends about re-opening the old station.
In 2009 Curtis Tramel decided to step away from his job as a fourth-generation journeyman electrician and focused on bringing the station back to life to open what is now Station 66. The original plan was to have an ice cream parlor, local produce, and Michigan-made grocery items. More than anything, they wanted a place where the community could gather.
Renovations began. Curt knew he wanted to keep the integrity of the historic structure in place, only making changes as necessary. Guests can still see how Station 66 is made up of two buildings! Our kitchen and
ice cream area are what make up the original 1930s
structure. The dining room is the large 1940 addition, which was built for retail and auto service work. The family sorted through loads of artifacts—many of which are on display here: The Sun Manufacturing Co. display case that once held candy is now used for donuts. The Pure Oil battery display rack is now used to hold Michigan-made items. The old newspaper rack is now displaying potato chips.
2010– Present
Station 66 opened its doors in 2010. Curt created the name by combining its location on M-66 and from his family referring to the building as “the station” in the years it was shuttered. In the first year, they focused on selling old-fashioned, hand-dipped ice cream, local produce from our great state of Michigan, and —after much trial and error— homemade donuts like the ones he remembered as a child from visiting local apple orchards. Shortly thereafter, they began to expand the menu and offerings.
As the store’s popularity grew, Curt realized he couldn’t continue alone. So his wife, Janette, who had been working here in the summer already, resigned from her teaching job and came to work full time at Station 66 in 2012. (Image 15) With Janette now managing staff and bringing new ideas, things really began to take off. They began to expand their food offerings with one simple rule: make the best food they can with the best locally-sourced ingredients they can find.
In 2016, they added a diner-style bar featuring restored vintage stools from a 1930s dime store in northern Michigan and, much to the delight of many, a 1952 Seeburg Select-O-Matic jukebox. (Image 14) By 2017, the popularity of their food and donuts had grown so much, they knew that they needed more space for cooking and baking. They added an auxiliary building (retaining the same style as the original building) to give the kitchen staff some much needed room, which also allowed their food offerings to grow. They were now able to incorporate more of the local fruits and vegetables into their menu, featuring tried and true family recipes.
In 2021, Curt and Janette replaced their aging temporary sign they had installed when the restaurant first opened with a new, illuminated sign using the Station’s logo. (Image 16) Curt had intended to install the new sign for the 10 year anniversary in 2020, but other priorities distracted everyone that year.
Curt’s parents, Christopher and Patricia, have been indispensable—picking up local produce, helping in the prep kitchen and ensuring the side yard always looks like a well-maintained park—not to mention running the fall hay rides! 11 Together, they have been carrying on a family tradition of serving the community. What once was an old gas station where the locals and travelers filled up on gas is now a place to fill up on memories. Nothing makes them happier than seeing folks enjoying the store’s history while eating an ice cream and visiting with friends and family.
