Lamar’s Petrified Gas Station Might Just Be the ‘Oldest’ Building Ever

Originally built to sell fossil fuels, this building was constructed of fossil wood. The defunct gas station is known as the "oldest building in the world."

In 1932, a lumber dealer by the name of William "Bill" G. Brown built the service station out of petrified wood said to be 175 million years old. The building would become a Phillips station in the town of Lamar.'

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Pilfered Fossil Wood Sparks Controversy

Bill Brown didn't acquire the ancient wood rightfully. He pilfered the fossilized from private land that was 20 miles south of Lamar. He wasn't the only one who hijacked the fossilized foliage. A local geologist warned that from the area, there's not enough wood left to "build a birdhouse."

Read More: Where to Walk in Real Dinosaur Tracks in Colorad

Ripley’s Fame & Today’s Landmark

Three months after its construction, Ripley's Believe It or Not featured the gas station in an article. Inspired, Brown made a sign with the article's headline --"Petrified Wood House, Built Entirely of Wood Turned to Stone"-- which can still be seen today.

Nowadays, the old service station houses offices for a used car dealership. People still visit to see the "oldest building in the world." You can visit it too at 501 N Main St., Lamar, Colorado.