File:Shell station located on the corner of Maryland Avenue and Potomac Street (101 W. Potomac) for many years..jpg

Summary

For relative newcomers to Brunswick, this was the Shell station located on the corner of Maryland Avenue and Potomac Street (101 W. Potomac) for many years. This was a busy corner at one time with Kaplon's department store directly across the street and the Cut Rate catty-cornered in the Red Men's Hall next to the Dime Store and Roelke's. This photo was taken during the gas crisis of 1979 when long lines and long waits seemed like the new normal.

Looming over the station is the Jordan House, owned by Brunswick's first mayor John L. Jordan, who was later a Frederick County Circuit Court judge. It was later owned by merchant Himan Werntz, who lived there during the week with his in-laws, the Rolnick family. According to Patrica Hoffmaster-Baker, "the Judge's house is 4 units now, the front section is huge, the 2 center apts were used as jails and you can still see signs of the old jails from the thick walls, the back of his home is full of windows shaped like horseshoes. As we locate history we restore. The Judge had the first well in Brunswick, it's covered with a locomotive top. Drops down 175 feet."

(Clipping from the Brunswick Citizen, 2/10/05)

John Roby Morsberger: My dad and uncle operated this station for a short time about 1957. Unfortunately, Dad was no businessman. He gave it up and eventually went back to the railroad.

James B Simpson Jr: I remember i did car washes and helped pump gas there in the late 60s it was a wonderful time. I also remember living in the Jordan house when I met my first wife Rhonda Bechtol, never knew it was a jail.