Oklahoma is ready to celebrate the Route 66 centennial
By Randy Mink
Floating in his own pond next to a picnic area, the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma epitomizes the kitschy roadside curiosities that motorists encountered during the heyday of Route 66, the most fabled highway in America. The smiling cement behemoth, measuring 80 feet long, is one of many iconic landmarks on the legendary ribbon of pavement that traversed eight U.S. states from Chicago to California.
Like other places along the road in Oklahoma and elsewhere, the whale and surrounding park are undergoing upgrades in preparation for Route 66 centennial celebrations in 2026.
Though the east-west corridor, affectionately known as the Mother Road, was replaced by superhighways decades ago, vast stretches of the old two-lane artery are still open to traffic, allowing travelers to leave the fast lane and see the real America, a land sprinkled with retro neon signs, quirky roadside attractions, souvenir shops, cozy motels and mom-and-pop diners. Oklahoma has 432 drivable miles of the historic highway, more than any other state.
Mother Road enthusiasts find numerous treasures in Tulsa. Selfie spots in the Meadow Gold District, named for the huge neon dairy company sign that lights up the night sky, include the newly installed space cowboy and cowgirl statues at Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios souvenir store, one of several fun shops and galleries on 11th Street. Such 20-foot-tall fiberglass figures, referred to as “Muffler Men” by pop culture historians, were considered the height of outdoor advertising in the 1960s.
Sapulpa, just outside of Tulsa, offers an inviting downtown shopping core that will be even more attractive when its streetscape redesign is completed. The town’s Teepee Drive-In, an outdoor movie theater dating from the 1950s, was recently restored. Other Sapulpa crowd-pleasers include Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum, where you can ogle classic cars and pose by the world’s tallest gas pump (66 feet).
In Stroud, the Rock Cafe has been a Route 66 favorite since 1939. Owner Dawn Welch was the inspiration behind the character Sally Carrera in Disney/Pixar’s 2006 animated film Cars, and movie memorabilia lines the walls.
Arcadia boasts two irresistible photo stops. The Round Barn, a handsome red landmark brought back from the brink of collapse by dedicated volunteers, dates from 1898. Pops 66, an ultra-modern glass building with a diner/soda fountain, sports a futuristic, 66-foot-tall, LED-lit soda pop bottle and sells more than 700 varieties of pop.
Route 66 Neon Park in Oklahoma City is almost finished being built and will feature 10 iconic signs originally visible on Oklahoma’s stretch of Route 66 from 1939-2016, all fully restored with neon lighting. The free outdoor exhibit, with a walk-through path, an Airstream-style bandstand for concerts, vintage billboards and a bathroom facility modeled after a 1950s Phillips 66 Gull Wing service station, will be strategically located on Route 66 on the grounds of the Oklahoma History Center, across from the State Capitol.
The Filling Station, a restored gas station on Route 66 in El Reno just opened as a visitor center. It features a rotating display of classic cars and a catchy mural. There will be bus parking across the street.
In Clinton, the first-rate Oklahoma Route 66 Museum covers all eight states threaded by the highway. With a soundtrack of classic tunes from each era, exhibits document the road’s history decade by decade.
Though the highway of dreams was officially decommissioned in 1985, its spirit lives on. Route 66 is a true slice of Americana.
