Saturday, June 4, 2011

Saturday's postcard: Kozy Kabin Service Station & Kafe


Here's an interesting old postcard that is from 1951 or earlier, because it calls for a 1¢ stamp on the back.

The text across the bottom of the front of the postcard reads:
A HAVEN OF REST FOR THE TIRED TOURIST
...You Are A Stranger Here But Once...
The text on the back of the postcard reads:
Kozy Kabin Service Station and Kafe. We specialize in Chicken and Western Steaks. One of Georgia's Best. Modern Kabins, Gas Heated Hot and Cold Running Water with Tile Showers, Simmons Beds with Beautyrest Mattresses. Member of AAA. Officially Inspected by Public Travel Bureau. On U.S. Route 1 in City Limits, South of Folkston, 45 Miles North of Jacksonville.
The postcard's maker is listed as: Genuine Curteich-Chicago "C.T. Art-Colortone".

The service station pictured sells Sinclair gasoline and also touts the pecans it has for sale.

Folkston is a small town but countless travelers would have passed by this service station on Route 1 during the station's heyday. In addition, Folkston remains the site of heavy rail traffic. Here's Wikipedia's description of the Folkston Funnel:
With virtually all rail traffic headed to Florida passing through Folkston, the rail lines through the city have acquired the nickname "The Folkston Funnel". As many as 60 trains a day pass through Folkston heading into and out of Florida, which some years draws ten times as many railfans as people who live in the city. To provide for a safe (and advantageous) viewing situation, the town has followed the example of another high-density rail town, Rochelle, Illinois, and has built a platform for visitors, along with picnic tables, chairs, BBQ pits, restrooms, and grills. And at night, lights shine from the platform onto the double rail so if someone wanted to, he or she could watch after sunset. Trains that come from the north move south toward Savannah, go through the Folkston Funnel, and arrive in Jacksonville. Trains that come from Florida do the same, just the opposite direction. At the covered viewing platform, there is an active scanner running and visitors can listen to train engineers as they run the trains through. As of 2006, there is also free WiFi for laptop users.
Can anyone in the Folkston area tell us what happened to this service station and what's at that location now?

1 comment:

  1. The ineluctable march of progress forced owners Ralph and Julia Johnson to shutter the Kozy Kabin Service Station & Kafe in 1954, eighteen years after it opened.

    The history of this location and an impassioned eulogy for Mr. Johnson can be found here: https://www.charltoncountyarchives.org/johnson,ralphkoz.html

    Requiescat in pace.

    -- M.F.

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