Before there was an I-75, north-south travelers drove North Tennessee Avenue

By Charlie Hutson

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- The photo above is of the Rex Service Station on North Tennessee Avenue. For some time, the structure has been gone and is now a graveled area across from the LUB offices.

The service station was opened by Lloyd Estes in 1937. Over the years, the station had several operators; Fletcher Brown in 1938, Marshall Smith in 1940, Hodge Stanfield in 1964.

The station closed in the 1970s. The entire time it was a Pure Station.

Here’s a fun fact. For several years, Marshall Smith was the Pure Distributor, and in later years, he operated Marshall Smith Texaco. That station was on East Central Avenue, now the parking lot between Pierce Furniture Gallery and the Height Finance Co. It was a Pure Station when it was built in 1956.

Notice in the picture you can see the very end of the Shelby Motel. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/02/2025-6AM)

Related