Westland Oil Filling Station (Atypical Brewing)

Cottage-like in appearance, this building was constructed in 1929 as a 'domestic' style gas station and garage. The Westland Oil Filling Station served Minot motorists and travelers until being converted into a brewery, which opened in 2018. The undercarriage service spaces are still visible beneath the glass sections off the floor. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This place, which likely may have acted as a place of business to countless alcohol smugglers during the years of Prohibition, now primarily exists as a place to provide its patrons with locally crafted, perfectly legal, brews.

Located on the edge of the historic Eastwood Park district, the exterior of this former gas station has not changed in any significant way since it’s construction in 1929. It appears to be a quaint English cottage, the kind that a gnome might come running out of at any second. While this architectural style immediately seems out of place in the downtown of Minot, it is actually contemporary to the historic Tudor revival style homes of the Eastwood Park neighborhood. The exposed beams, stucco walls, and rounded doorways are complimentary features of these styles.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 on account of it being a stunning representation of a “domestic” style gas station. The homey, cottage-type exterior was popular in the 1920s and 1930s after the debut of the first Phillips 66 station in Wichita, Kansas. Although this structure is not directly modeled after one of the Phillips stations, the general inspiration for the layout can be seen in the chimney, deep steepled roof, and the center entryway.

Today, fewer than one hundred of these buildings remain standing in the United States. Many of them have been restored to house restaurants, office spaces, museums, and even private residences. 510 E Central Avenue served its original purpose as a gas station until a recent conversion into a local brewery. Today, patrons can enjoy a pint (or two) on the patio or sit inside where the oil change stations of the old garage are on full display underneath their feet. While there are no records to indicate that any events of ill-repute took place on the premises, it is no small stretch to imagine how many couriers, rumrunners, distillers, and speakeasy proprietors walked through these doors. As a major supplier of oil and garage services to the citizens of Minot and passing travelers, one can imagine how easy a stop this would have been on a trip to deliver illicit goods from the Canadian border, from the train, or from a neighbor. How ironic then, that the primary function of this building today is to provide a space where locals and travelers alike can enjoy alcoholic beverages. All perfectly legal, of course. This building serves as an example of historic preservation from the Prohibition era, but also as a landmark of the Eastwood Park district. 510 East Central Avenue is a stunning testament to how Prohibition shaped Minot’s downtown and continues to influence the local business and culture of the present day.

Charles C. Jensen, “Westland Super Service Station,” Jensen’s Photo Services, approx. 1930, North Dakota State University Libraries – Institute for Regional Studies, accessed 7 July 2023, https://digitalhorizonsonline.org/digital/collection/uw/id/3564.

“National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form,” United States Dept of the Interior – National Park Service, 42, 4 Sept 1986, accessed 7 July 2023, https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/86002816_text. 

Michael B. Kertok, “Restoration of Phillips 66 Gas Stations,” from Are We There Yet? Preserving Roadside Architecture and Attractions, April 10-12, 2018, Tulsa, OK, accessed 7 July 2023, https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/restorations-of-phillips-66-gas-stations.htm.