The Kanotex Refining Company (

reporting mark A reporting mark is a code used to identify owners or lessees of rolling stock and other equipment used on certain rail transport networks. The code typically reflects the name or identifying number of the owner, lessee, or operator of the equip ...

: KOTX), a regional oil refinery and gasoline distributor, began operation in

Caney, Kansas Caney is a city in Montgomery County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,788. History Caney was founded in 1869. It was named from the Caney River. The first post office in Caney was established in ...

, in 1909, a successor to the Superior Refining Company. The company's logo was a Kansas

sunflower The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a large annual forb of the genus ''Helianthus'' grown as a crop for its edible oily seeds. Apart from cooking oil production, it is also used as livestock forage (as a meal or a silage plant), as ...

behind a five-point star; the Kan-O-Tex name referred to

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

and

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

as the states in which the company originally marketed its products.

History

John McEwen Ames became the company's president in 1915 and established a main refinery in

Arkansas City, Kansas Arkansas City () is a city in Cowley County, Kansas, United States, situated at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Walnut River in the southwestern part of the county. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 11,974. The n ...

, in 1917 which would become the base of the company's operations. While the initial market was Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, Meyer Brothers Gas Station & General Store in

Orchard Farm, Missouri Orchard Farm is an unincorporated community in St. Charles County, Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): ...

, sold Kan-O-Tex fuel in the late 1920s; by 1930, Kan-O-Tex products were advertised locally in

St. Joseph, Missouri St. Joseph is a city in and the county seat of Buchanan County, Missouri. Small parts of St. Joseph extend into Andrew County. Located on the Missouri River, it is the principal city of the St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includ ...

, by the Home Oil and Gas Corporation, a chain of nineteen

filling station A filling station, also known as a gas station () or petrol station (), is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel. Gasoli ...

s. The Kan-O-Tex brand and reporting mark were acquired by the now-defunct

Anderson-Prichard Oil Corporation The Anderson-Prichard Oil Corporation (reporting mark: APCO), a regional oil refinery and gasoline distributor, began operation in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1919, founded by J. Steve Anderson and Lev H. Prichard, Sr. The partnership was incorpo ...

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...

, in October 1953 and are no longer in use. One

Kan-O-Tex Service Station The Kan-O-Tex Service Station in Galena, Kansas, is a souvenir shop and tourist attraction in the former Little's Service Station building, a Kan-O-Tex filling station that originally served U.S. Route 66 motorists in 1934. History US Route 66 w ...

, the former Little's Service Station on

U.S. Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The h ...

Galena, Kansas Galena is a city in Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,761. History Although the railroad was built through the territory of Galena in 1871, the community did not start until the di ...

, was restored in 2007 as a

diner A diner is a small, inexpensive restaurant found across the United States, as well as in Canada and parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a com ...

and

souvenir shop A gift shop or souvenir shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs, memorabilia, and other items relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, toys, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collec ...

as part of wider efforts to rebuild and market the historic

as a

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

destination.

References

{{reflist Defunct oil companies of the United States Defunct companies based in Kansas Energy companies established in 1909 Energy companies disestablished in 1953 Non-renewable resource companies established in 1909 1953 mergers and acquisitions 1909 establishments in Kansas 1953 disestablishments in Kansas American companies established in 1909 American companies disestablished in 1953