A Roadside Stop with a Horror-Movie History: The Gas Station in Bastrop, Texas

by Camille McCullough

About thirty miles southeast of Austin, Texas, at 1073 State Highway 304, stands The Gas Station, also known as the Last Chance Gas Station. At first glance, it might resemble one of the many old roadside businesses scattered across US highways. For horror movie enthusiasts, it is instantly recognizable as an important filming location from director Tobe Hooper’s original 1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. [1]

After an uncomfortable encounter with a hitchhiker, the iconic film’s group of young travelers pulls into the roadside station only to discover that the pumps are dry. The station’s proprietor warns them against continuing farther into the countryside. Anyone familiar with the movie knows how their decision works out.

After its appearance in the movie, the building remained but eventually fell into disrepair.

 In 2014, horror fans Roy and Lisa Rose purchased the property to restore it to the creepy glory it once held. According to the Texas State Historical Association, the Roses moved from Ohio to Bastrop and began restoring the building to celebrate its connection to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (in the 1974 film, it was styled “Chain Saw”, then in subsequent films as “Chainsaw”). The work was completed in 2016, retaining the original “We Slaughter Barbecue” signage. [2]

Today, The Gas Station combines several attractions in one place. Visitors can stop for Texas barbecue, shop for horror-themed merchandise and memorabilia, take photographs around the recognizable property, or stay overnight. The Texas Film Commission currently notes that the property has four cabins available for overnight stays in addition to its barbecue and merchandise shop. [3]

Our Visit to The Gas Station

In July 2026, I had a chance to visit The Gas Station, which, thankfully, was not nearly as terrifying as the visit in the movie, but it still had that uneasy roadside-energy horror fans hope for.

We wandered into the gift shop first, which felt like part souvenir stop, part horror-fan treasure cave. There were stickers, shirts, collectibles, display pieces, and full-size movie replicas tucked throughout the space. We did get lucky that day; even though we missed the barbecue, the person running the gift shop was extremely knowledgeable about the location’s history.

This is not a polished movie museum or a replica for tourists. You are standing in a real filming location, the same sort of run-down-looking roadside spot where the movie’s sense of dread first starts to creep in. The whole place feels less like a roadside attraction and more like you have stepped into pure 1970s horror.

Outside, the feeling gets even stronger. Look out toward Highway 304, and it is easy to imagine the van rolling up, the passengers hoping for gas, and the warning signs quietly stacking against them. We did not continue farther into the countryside.

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References

 [1] Austin Film Commission. “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Film Locations.” Visit Austin. https://www.austintexas.org/film-commission/film-tourism-guide/texas-chainsaw-massacre/

 [2] Herrera Farías, José Andrés. “The Gas Station.” Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association, published July 24, 2024; revised February 2, 2026. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/the-gas-station

[3] Texas Film Commission. “The Gas Station.” Texas Classics Film Trail, Office of the Governor, State of Texas. https://gov.texas.gov/film/trail/the-gas-station