Kanotex Refining Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Oil refinery, Gasoline distribution |
| Predecessor | Superior Refining Company |
| Founded | 1909 in Caney, Kansas, United States |
| Fate | Purchased by Anderson-Prichard Oil Corporation in October 1953; brand discontinued |
| Headquarters | Arkansas City, Kansas , United States |
Area served | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri |
Key people | John McEwen Ames (President from 1915) |
| Products | Refined oil products, gasoline |
The Kanotex Refining Company (with the reporting mark KOTX) operated as a regional oil refinery and gasoline distributor, originating in Caney, Kansas, in 1909 as the successor to the Superior Refining Company. Its emblem displayed a Kansas sunflower set behind a five-pointed star, while the name Kan-O-Tex denoted its initial service area covering Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
History
In 1915, John McEwen Ames assumed the presidency and, two years later in 1917, established the principal refinery in Arkansas City, Kansas, which subsequently became the company’s central hub of operations. Although its early focus was on Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas markets, Kan-O-Tex extended its reach into Missouri by the late 1920s. By 1930, the company’s products were promoted locally in St. Joseph, Missouri, through the nineteen-station Home Oil and Gas Corporation network.
The Kan-O-Tex brand and reporting mark were purchased in October 1953 by Anderson-Prichard Oil Corporation of Oklahoma City—a company that has since ceased operations—and were thereafter discontinued.
One notable former Kan-O-Tex Service Station, Little's Service Station located on U.S. Route 66 in Galena, Kansas, underwent restoration in 2007 to function as a diner and souvenir shop aimed at enhancing tourism along the historic Route 66 corridor.