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Harry A. Mapes founded this business in 1936. It began in a little tin building that stood where the company operates today. It was an Amoco commission agency, selling mostly gasoline. Harry left the coaching ranks at Thornton Academy and South Portland High School in 1933 to work as a salesman for American Oil and moved to Sanford three years later as an Amoco agent.

He entered the service in 1942 during World War II and returned to the oil business four years later. The oil burner had started to replace coal furnaces just as the war started and there was a big demand to convert to oil. Mapes Oil sold and serviced Timken oil burners. Some of the early employees were Bob Smith, 'Red' Ridley, Willard Buck, Louis Newhouse, Louis Levasseur, Roland Pare, Jack Roxborough, and Walter Hazeltine.

Allen joined the firm in 1950. Through the 50's and 60's, the company grew through fuel oil and heating equipment sales. But in the early 1970's, the oil embargo and ensuing conservation measurers slowed heating oil growth, so the company began focusing its attention back to its roots... gasoline. Amoco had been replaced with Gulf and in 1981 the commission relationship turned into a bona fide distributorship.

Jonathan joined the firm in 1982 and was appointed general manager in 1990. Allen is no longer involved in day to day operations. Back in the beginning, one or two employees worked out of that little tin building , with one truck, no running water and an oil stove for heat. They grew to over 40 employees, 4000 customers, 30 pieces of real estate, 24 vehicles, and an air-conditioned office.

For many years, Mapes owned and operated a Garden Center on Route 1 in Kennebunk. In December of 1988, Mapes Oil and Pelletier & Levesque joined forces. This marriage resulted in a larger, more efficient oil company.

In 2002, Mapes purchased more real estate and the gasoline business of Rowell & Watson, a Dover, NH petroleum company. In 2003, the fuel business and some real estate was sold to Downeast Energy. Finally, in 2004, Mapes built a brand new 10,000-sq. ft. office/warehouse after emotionally demolishing that little tin building .

For over 70 years, H.A. Mapes, Inc. has been a local company, locally owned, locally managed with local employees to deliver products and service customer accounts. It has always been company policy to employ local contractors whenever possible. Mapes owes our success to our employees, our customers and our community.