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Our History
January 25th 2022
Bruce Vollan of Vollan Oil was selected to receive the Excellence in Agriculture Award. This honor goes to an outstanding individual or organization who exemplifies excellence in agriculture through significant contributions to the industry.
Vollan Oil has been a staple in South Dakota since 1921 providing fuel first as a single station to today's operations as a family owned and operated company.
Not only does this Vollan Oil sell ethanol, they have gone to bat for it testifying to the EPA to increase ethanol blends. They are committed to providing it for their customer base saying, "This is not a hiccup. It's not a fluke. When we consistently sell, as a percentage of all our gallons of fuel, 17 percent to 27 percent ethanol, you see that consumers see the value in this product.". It is truly family-owned companies like this that can and do make an impact for growers by doing something as simple as sharing the truth and standing behind their words.
In the Beginning: 1921-1935
Midway Station was started in 1921 and was open for business in the spring of 1922. Albert Nyhus (Rhoda Wold's uncle) and George Cogdell built the Station, and operated the business in partnership for a few years.
Cogdell left and Albert's brother, Tom Nyhus, went into business with him, Tom selling Chandler automobiles.
Gundar Bruaas bought the business from the Nyhus brothers in 1928 and operated the business until 1935 when he sold it to his brother-in-law, C. O. Wold.
Expansions: 1935-1975
When Wold moved to Midway from Crooks he brought with him the tank wagon business. To start with he hauled fuel in his bulk truck from Brownelle Oil Company and later Howard Falen Oil Company in Sioux Falls. Eventually, a bulk plant and loading dock were added behind the store. Fire works were sold at Midway for a number of years in the late '40′s. After the bulk plant was installed, fire works sales were discontinued.
The original store building at Midway had living quarters in the back. C.O. Wold raised his family there, and also boarded the hired men, and at times a schoolteacher. Roger & Rhoda Wold lived there in their early married years, C.O. having built a new house to the south of the Station. After Roger & Rhoda built their house (just south of C.O.'s house), some of the hired men and at one time C.O.'s sister (Emma Bruaas) lived in the rooms behind the store. In later years Roger used the rooms in the back for storage and office space.
Roger Wold bought Midway Station from his dad in 1948. In 1957, he bought into partnership of Midway Oil Company. In the year 1964 C.O. Wold retired and Roger Wold became owner-operator of Midway Service and Wold Oil Company.
A New Station: 1975-1988
In 1975, Roger's dream of having a new Station came true. The old wooden structure and the two outhouses were replaced with a new steel building with indoor plumbing. Though tire repairs were done, and new belts, tires, and batteries were sold in the old station, the new building has a shop bay, with a hoist. Tire repairs, oil changes, brake jobs are the order of the day in the new shop.
Jimmie Vollan leased Midway in 1978 and Roger continued to operate the bulk business.
The Vollan Era Begins: 1988-2004
In 1988, Jim and Tanya Vollan bought the Midway Corner property and Wold Oil Company, which became Vollan Oil Company. Roger retired - briefly - then came back to drive the delivery truck full time until 2002. In 1989, son Bruce Vollan came to work full time at the Station currently as Operations Manager.
In 1994, the parking lot was updated from gravel to concrete, and new gas tanks were buried in the process.
2017
Started delivering transport loads of diesel and bio diesel
2019
Started delivering transport loads of propane. We can deliver up to 10,000 gallons at a time but will also deliver in smaller quantities.
2020
2020 We started getting direct shipments of P40 from Canada. This is a great alternative to #1 because all the wax is removed so you get the same cold filter cloud point as #1 but maintain the BTU's of #2. Since we are buying in bulk we can save our customers money while supplying them a product with a cetane rating that is great for cold starts. (please put the pic of the truck with the rail car in it next to this content)
Fun Fact - Did you know the only time Celsius and Fahrenheit temperatures are the same is at -40
2021
Expanded bulk delivery to Hendricks Minnesota which allows us to deliver bulk fuel, lubricants, DEF and biofuels to more customers in Minnesota and northern South Dakota. Vollan Oil also acquired a great local gas station with convenience store that offer gas, diesel and automotive repair in Hendricks Minnesota
