114 W. CORBIN ST. / HILLSBORO SERVICE STATION

Built as a gas station circa 1938; sits on the corner of West Corbin and McAdams - McAdams was once the "Prospect Hill Road" that extended north of town, before construction of the Churton/86 extension north of Corbin. (Labelled "New Danville Road" below, which later became Highway 14, it did not exist in 1924.) Highway 70 was constructed between 1927 and 1936, which shifted the traffic pattern from the earlier highway (Highway 10) that went through Hillsborough north on Churton then west on King Street to now heading west out of town on North (now Corbin) Street.

The property sold to to the Eagle Oil Company in 1937 (OC Deed book 107, page 44, 202). However, "pumps, tanks, and compressors" are mentioned in 1920s deeds, and a store stood at this location in 1924 according to the Sanborn map.

Part of a larger property was sold by the Eagle Oil Company in September 1938 to Paul J. Reeves (OCDB 108-412). This is the lot that the gas station is located on.

From March to September 1946, the Reeves Motor Company operated on this and adjoining lots. Paul J. Reeves and E. P. Sykes were partners in the business. In September 1946, the company was renamed the E. P. Sykes Motor Company. A 1949 Orange County court case details some of the issues that arose from this partnership over control and money, which went to the State Supreme Court.

The Eagle Oil Company was a local business, founded in Mebane in 1921, and was a distributor of Texaco products.

08.08.2016 (G. Kueber)