Like many towns in the Berkshires, gas station or (at least) garages developed quickly, despite the apparent rural nature of the town, during the early part of the twentieth century. The first cars in New Hartford probably arrived around 1908, based on photographic evidence, with various summer visitors. By the mid teens, the center of New Hartford boasted a full service garage: Maxfield’s. Judging by the advertisements, it had tires, gas, greases, and by 1918 also sold Ford cars.
However, a picture of it from 1916 shows the transition in process…..look at the left hand side of the photograph. The steeple behind is not a church, it is Stanclift’s Livery stable, and that is a horse and cart under the porch connected to the garage.
New Hartford Historical Society 