Oklahoma Route 66

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Welcome to Oklahoma on Route 66. ('08)

Chat (mine tailings) piles are along the Route all through this area. This is a small one. ('08)

Waylan's Ku-Ku Hamburgers in Miami is the last survivor of a chain that once had 200 outlets. ('08)

The Miami Fairgrounds are right on 66. ('08)

Coleman Theater in Miami. (97) 

South side of Coleman Theater. ('99)

VR Panorama of the Coleman Theater in Miami. ('07)
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Sign south of Miami. Oklahoma Humor on 66. ('99)

Piece of 9' wide original 66 (with concrete curbs) east of Afton. Still in use today. ('99)

The asphalt is starting to show it's age but the curbs are in amazingly good shape. ('99)

Single-Lane 66 south of Miami makes a curve to the south. ('08)

The pavement is in pretty good shape considering its age, but there are sections that are breaking up. This section is still in pretty good shape. ('08)

Single lane 66 starts one last curve to the south
where it is cut by the newer alignment. ('08)

VR Panorama of one-lane old old 66 south of Miami where it curves south and is paved under newer 66. ('07)
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Coming into Afton on 66, Afton Station is on the left. ('08)

Laurel Kane has worked to restore the station and has accumulated an extensive inventory of local 66 memorabilia. This was my first time inside as it has always been closed when I came through. ('08)

And who do we find there, but Richard Moeur enjoying 66 on his way back to Phoenix. We had corresponded on the Yahoo eGroup (anyone for a discussion about traffic circles?) but had never crossed paths before. Interestingly, this was just the first of numerous run-ins on 66. ('06)

The 'Tulsa Tripper' in the corner. ('06)

The maintenance bays have been turned into a display area for Packards and Packard memorabilia. ('08)

Did I say Packards? ('08)

VR Panorama of Afton Station on main street in Afton. ('07)
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A QTVR of the inside of Afton Station. Michelle is signing the guest book while proprietor Laurel Kane watches.
Ms. Kane hosts a large collection of local Route 66 memorabilia (and a Penguin) ('08)
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Local Route 66 memorabilia isn't the only thing Afton Station is known for. This QTVR shows the Packard collection area. ('08)
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Another QTVR taken from further back in the Packard display garage. Quite the collection of finely restored vehicles. ('08)
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Remains of old gas station on inside of 'Dead-Man's Curve' south of Afton. ('99)

Overgrown remains of a 66 roadside park at corner of 'Dead-Man's Curve'. ('99)

VR Panorama of Dead-Man's Curve wayside park. It looks like any evidence of the wayside has been
removed as I could no longer see the BBQ pits that were there back in 1997. ('07)
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VR Panorama of an old old 66 bridge in Chelsea. It is still being used as a back way
out of a trailer park (newer 66 can be seen just beyond the bridge). ('07)
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VR Panorama of the Chelsea Motor Hotel. If you can, I recommend it highly for a stay. Clean and inexpensive.
The owner is a real 66'er too. He went through all the local 66 sights (he told me about the bridge) and had
handouts for everything 66 between Afton and Tulsa. He even has a buffalo out back. ('07)
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VR Panorama of the Totem Pole Park east of Foyil. While it is located a ways off of 66, it is an interesting stop. ('07)
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VR Panorama of the Totem Pole Park. I had read about this park in the 66 literature but never made the trip here.
It really needs to be seen to be believed. ('07)
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VR Panorama of the Totem Pole Park. The workshop has been turned into a visitor center/gift shop. ('07)
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VR Panorama of the Totem Pole Park. The grounds also have other artifacts that were collected. ('07)
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VR Panorama of the Totem Pole Park. The park also has a picnic area
(in this shot I am standing on one of the tables) and a hiking trail. ('07)
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A newer QTVR of the Galloway Totem Pole Park. This visit the sun was shining. ('08)
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A QTVR from near Mr. Galloway's workshop that has been converted into the park museum and gift shop. ('08)
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A QTVR from the center of the museum/gift shop. Mr. Galloway was certainly a prolific artist. ('08)
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Another QTVR of the inside of the Totem Pole Park museum and gift shop. Mr. Galloway's creations
line the walls and include numerous newspaper articles about him and the park from over the years. ('08)
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Claremore water tower on west side of 66. ('01)

Looking north towards the twin 66 bridges (and a railroad bridge in the background) over the Verdigris River. ('99)

The Arrowood Trading Post in Catoosa across from the Blue Whale. ('03)

South end of Arrowood's Trading Post. The building is a work of art all in itself. ('01)

The Blue Whale is one of the Hampton Inn Roadside Attractions ('03)

Remains of the Blue Whale Amusement Park in Catoosa. ('99)

Close up of a 'Boat Building' at the park. ('99)

The brush has been cleared away so the Ark stands clear now. ('03)

The Blue Whale's head. The area around the lake has been cleaned up. Maybe it will open soon. ('99)

The Blue Whale is looking good under a new coat of paint and the pond has been cleaned out. ('99)

VR Panorama of the Blue Whale parking area. The abandoned wood buildings from the old park
can be seen as well as Arrowood's Trading Post on the other side of 66. ('07)
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The Blue Whale is Open now. ('03)

The old picnic ground. ('03)

The tables and chairs are all concrete. The table legs and stools are all in different shapes and animals. ('03)

Even the old restrooms have been restored. ('03)

Detail in the restroom entryway. ('03)

A new faraway shot. ('03)

Not everything has been restored. This one is a real fixer-upper. ('03)

The whale is right next to the picnic grounds. ('03)

A close-up of the tail. It looks like there is a sun-deck up on top. It appears to originally to have been a diving platform. ('03)

Looking back from the tail. The port-holes are in a second story reachable from an inside ladder. ('03)

The flipper slide from inside. ('03)

VR Panorama of the Blue Whale park just inside the entry near the rest rooms. There was a corporate picnic going on. ('07)
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VR Panorama of the Blue Whale and the picnic area. ('07)
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QTVR taken from the middle of the Blue Whale's back. If you look carefully, numerous fish can be seen
schooling around the shallows beside it. ('08)
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VR Panorama from inside the body of the Catoosa Blue Whale. The main body has a second floor with portholes. ('08)
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A QTVR inside of the Catoosa Blue Whale's moth. I suppose you could call this the Jonah's Eye view..... ('08)
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QTVR taken from the picnic area of the Catoosa Blue Whale Water Park.
The tables and chairs are all original and made from cast concrete. ('08)
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1921 Rock Creek Bridge in Sapulpa. ('97)

Closer shot of the Rock Creek Bridge. It still has brick pavement. ('97)

VR Panorama of the Sapulpa Rock Creek Bridge. If you look carefully you can see a Sherman Tank guarding the bridge ('07)
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VR Panorama of the abandoned Sapulpa Drive-In Theater just beyond the Rock Creek Bridge. This piece of old old 66 is a nice drive as it continues through a forested area. ('07)
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Rock Cafe in Stroud. ('01)

Close up of Rock Cafe sign. ('99)

VR Panorama of a bypassed alignment of 66 north of Bristow. This part of OK abounds in bypassed alignments to explore. ('07)
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VR Panorama of downtown Depew. If you aren't careful you will miss the turn off from the newer 66.
The town has been doing a lot to spiff up their mainstreet. ('07)
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City 66 meets up with thru 66 near an old gas station (now a BBQ restaurant). ('01)

'Meramec Caverns' painted barn east of Wellston. ('99)

VR Panorama of Seaba Station in Warwick. When I went through it had been restored and used as an antique shop.
I read recently that it had been sold and is going to be converted into a motorcycle museum and gift shop. ('07)
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Sign at the restored Round Barn in Arcadia. Open for tours and has a gift shop too. ('97)

Shot of Arcadia Round Barn. ('97)

A shot from a little further back. Looks like new shingles and a paint job. ('01)

Kelley Ave north of OK City (old 66). ('99)

Heading south on Lincoln (66) towards OK Capital complex. ('97)

Milk Bottle Building on Classen Blvd in OK City. ('99)

Close up of the bottle. ('99)

Approach from the east to the old 66 Lake Overholser Bridge on west side of Oklahoma City. ('97)

QTVR taken from the east end of the Lake Overholser Bridge in Yukon. ('08)
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On the Lake Overholser Bridge. The new highway bridge is on the right. ('97)

66 crosses over an inlet along Lake Overholser. ('01)

A curve away from the lake along a tree-lined drive. ('01)

VR Panorama of a wayside stop where 66 curves along Lake Overholser This piece of old 66 is
rapidly being urbanized as just west of this spot there are major housing developments going in. ('07)
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Yukon Flour Mill in Yukon (Home town of Garth Brooks). Neon sign on top of building is supposed to be nice but we've always passed through during the day. ('01)

Back on 4-Lane 66 heading west out of Yukon. ('01)

Big 8 Motel in El Reno. A small sign under the arrow says 'Amarillo's Finest', left over from the film 'Rain Man'. ('97)

A shot (looking west) of the Geary to the Bridgeport old old 66 routing. ('01)

Now onto the 66 Route to the suspension Bridge across the Canadian River. ('01)

A pic of the north side suspension bridge towers. ('01)

A shot of the railroad bridge west of the suspension bridge location. ('01)

Another look at the suspension bridge towers. There isn't much room between them so the bridge must have been pretty narrow. ('01)

Not quite sure how the approach to the bridge worked. This shot is from the top of a low hill in direct line with the bridge. It looks like the area is big for bonfires, drinking, and dirt-biking. The bridge support towers are on the left side. ('01)

Looking back to the east from the bridge site. ('01)

Backing up a bit on the through route (bypassing Calumet-Geary) this is the hill down to the Canadian River (Pony Bridge) crossing. ('01)

66 has curbs along this stretch. This is a storm drain. It looks like it feeds into a holding tank. ('01)

Intersection of the Bridgeport Bypass, the gravel tie-in to the '26 Route, and the current US 281. ('99)

Approach to the South Canadian River bridge east of Bridgeport. ('97)

On the bridge. It has 38 'pony' arches. ('97)

VR Panorama at the west end of the Canadian River Pony Bridge. ('07)
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An old rest stop long 66. Not much activity, just one lone beer drinker. ('03)

VR Panorama of the Hinton Junction wayside stop. This wayside is still being maintained. ('07)
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Lucille's on 66 near Hydro. ('97)

A winter shot of the building when the leaves are off the ivy. ('01)

The former Hamon's Court at Lucille's. ('97)

Lucille Hamon. Known as the Mother of the Mother Road in Oklahoma. She has a book out now about her life on '66 ('97)

VR Panorama of Lucille's. ('07)
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VR panorama of Lucille's from the middle of 66. ('07)
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VR Panorama of Lucille's from under the overhang. Some antique gas pumps have been added. ('07)
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VR Panorama west of Weatherford. This hilltop is being used to set-up numerous windmills to generate power. ('07)
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Clinton Route 66 Banner. ('97)

We didn't get to "Sleep Where Elvis Slept" but we did get to sleep in the same building where he slept. ('03)

The Route 66 Museum in Clinton. A 'must' stop for the 66 traveller. ('97)

A night shot of the museum. Would have been better if all the neon was working. ('03)

VR Panorama outside of the Route 66 Museum in Clinton. ('07)
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VR Panorama of Route 66 Museum in Clinton near the Valentine Diner and Oklahoma park. ('07)
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Inside the museum. A photo-op at the gift shop. Take the walking tour (with tape narration) through the exhibits. ('97)

A shot of the display showing the 66 signs coming down in Chicago. ('97)

This display is no longer there. It has been replaced by a movie theater showing Route 66 videos. ('07)

VR Panorama inside the museum entryway. ('07)
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VR Panorama west of Clinton in the early morning. Not much to interrupt the terrain here. ('07)
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A shot of a real 66 road warrior. We were travelling 66 together for a while. ('97)

Route 66 shield on pavement. ('99)

Not sure exactly where this is. I took it somewhere between Lucile's and Elk City. ('01)

Coming into Elk City on (4-lane) 66. ('08)

Elk City is home to the National Route 66 Museum. They have assembled quite a complex. ('08)

West of Elk City, an old 66 bridge can be seen from the interstate crossover. In this area, 66 is cut numerous times by the interstate so it necessitates flipping from one frontage road to the other to stay on (mostly) 66 pavement. ('08)

Abandoned north (westbound) lane of 4-lane 66 near Erick. ('99)

Sections of 4 lane 66 are common in the western OK area. ('08)

Coming into the east side of Erick. ('08)

Old downtown in Erick. The banner says 'Welcome to Erick, Hometown of Roger Miller "King of the Road" & Sheb Wooley "Purple People Eater" ('08)

Leaving Erick, the Elm Motel. ('08)

A bridge on the abandoned north lanes. ('01)

There are still crossings from the south lanes. If you don't mind the weeds, the north lanes are still drivable. ('01)

VR Panorama taken on the closed westbound lanes of 4-lane 66. Even though there is a lot of overgrowth,
it is still drivable. Going under the trees up ahead were like driving through a tunnel. ('07)
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VR Panorama of closed westbound 4-lane 66. This part is wide open and easily drivable.
There is easy access from the eastbound lanes that are still open. ('07)
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West of Erick on the way to Texola, 66 is a nice 4-lane drive through the countryside. ('08)

Lots of trees along the way. ('08)

Entering Texola, the Route merges into a single 4-lane road. ('08)

Many ruins line the Road attesting to the once thundering traffic that 66 brought to the town. ('08)

Remains of bars are common. ('08)

I think this bar was open back in 2001 but it appears to have been abandoned now. The building is rapidly deteriorating and I couldn't even figure out what the sign once said as it is too rusted now. ('08)

On the side of a bar in Texola (last watering hole in OK). ('01)

Heading out of town 66 curves to the NW and heads for Texas. ('08)

No fanfare here. I thought Texas did everything big??? ('01)

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 Route 66
Air Guard
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