Montana Chief traces back to a refinery most people outside Spokane never heard of. Inland Empire Refineries, Inc. — owned by Wasatch Oil Refining of Salt Lake City — built its plant in Hillyard, just north of Spokane, in 1938. The crude came rolling in from the Cut Bank oil field in Montana, plus Wyoming, feeding a refinery that was processing 6,000 train cars of crude a year by the end of 1939.
Printed on a soft, broken-in cotton twill cap with deliberate distressing built in from day one. Unstructured, low-profile construction with a curved visor, self-fabric hideaway strap, and metal D-ring for an adjustable fit. Each hat carries slight natural variation in distress and color, so no two wear in exactly the same way. Spot clean with warm water and dish soap; a soft-bristled brush handles the stubborn spots.
Inland Empire didn't sell one gasoline, it sold a family of them — Washington Chief locally, Idaho Chief and Oregon Chief across the state lines, all running on the same Montana crude. Production more than doubled in wartime, with over half going straight to the armed forces. Wasatch Oil merged into Phillips Petroleum in 1949, folding a scrappy Pacific Northwest refiner into one of the country's biggest names.
The perfect gift for petroliana collectors tracking Pacific Northwest and Montana oil history, classic car enthusiasts, garage and man-cave decorators, and gas station history buffs who appreciate a regional brand with real refinery roots.
The Faded Label Co. — keeping the golden age of American roadside art alive, one product at a time.
