Military History Preservation and the Hennessey Sinclair Station Restoration
By AAN Jack Quirk
At Main and 3rd Street, Hennesseyโs old Sinclair station is beginning a new chapter. Once a fuel stop and repair shop, the landmark was recently sold by Richard Simunek to David Webster of Tennessee, a retired aircraft inspector with a lifelong passion for WWII history.
Websterโs interest began at 15, inspired by the 1943 B-24 raid on Romanian oil fields. Over the years, he collected uniforms, photos, and artifacts, sharing them with veteransโ groups. There, Webster became friends with Kim Hobbs. During visits to Hennessey, he admired the stationโs 1930s Art Deco design and saw an opportunity.
He plans to restore the 2,000-square-foot building into a living museum with rotating exhibits, mannequins in uniform, and his own restored vehicles, including a WWII jeep. Even the original air compressor will be revived for free tire air.
For Simunek, the sale fulfills his dream: the Sinclair station will be preserved as both a local landmark and a memorial to Americaโs heroes.Read the full interview in October’s Addition of the Kingfisher Monthly Magazine, highlighting interesting topics from Kingfisher County.
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