Oklahoma is home to a sizable portion of Route 66 - maybe even the
longest portion in the United States. This state's Route 66 is also
where the legend really began - John Steinbeck's description of the
Mother Road, Will Rogers traveling along the highway, the Phillips 66
gas station.

Oklahoma also maintains large sections of the highway as State
Highway 66, so unlike Texas, a traveler can take the road almost in its
entirety.

I'll be journeying A WHOLE LOT MORE as time and money permit!
Above and left: This beautiful, long truss bridge sits west of
Oklahoma City on an old section of Route 66. The bridge is drivable,
though is mostly used by cyclists and walkers. It spans the North
Canadian River just north of the point where it empties into Lake
Overholser.
Left: Arcadia is home to the red round barn, a
bona-fide must-see along the Route 66 trek. It's hard
to believe that just a little over ten years ago, this
beautiful 19th century barn was falling in on itself.
Inside is a cool souvenir shop, and you can climb up
for a view.

Above: My old Jeep on Rte 66 in Arcadia (By the way,
as a committed environmentalist, I drive a much more
economical car now!)
Click here to visit
Route 66 in Texas!
Above: The grave of Jesse Chisholm, famous Cherokee trader,
lies just north of Route 66 outside the town of Geary, by Left
Hand Spring.
Above: A great neon sign for the Capri Hotel on Rte 66 in
Tulsa. This motel sits where Rte 66 becomes a feeder
road to I44 and I 244. What's great about Oklahoma's Rte
66 is that it's been re-created as a state highway, and the
old sections are still part of the state's cities. In Tulsa,
Rte 66 is along 11th Street.
Above: Along Rte 66 in Tulsa I came across a store
called "The Stove Hospital." They repair old stoves,
ovens, and heaters here. I have never been so
fascinated by kitchen appliances before! I just had
to take a picture of one of the stoves, even if only
through the window.
Above: The famous Blue Whale at Catoosa, a Rte 66 town just northeast
of Tulsa that is growing by leaps and bounds. The Blue Whale was built
by a man named Davis for his wife, and they opened the Whale and the
pond as a swimming hole for locals (the whale acted as a slide and
diving board). Today, the Davis descendants and the City of Catoosa
operate the Blue Whale as a free attraction to anyone driving along the old
road. Though no swimming is allowed, you can still hear the echoes of
laughter and enjoyment of a generation inside the belly of the Whale.
Above: This concrete bridge over the Arkansas River in Tulsa was built
in 1916 and carried drivers until the 1970s, when a newer bridge was
built beside it. Luckily, Tulsa kept the old bridge. When you walk on it,
you are standing on the actual Mother Road!
Above: Tulsa's old Bell Motor Court is just a shell with
the skeleton of its neon sign waving to tourists who
miss the way travel used to be. I would have stayed
here! By the way, that's my son David, enjoying Rte 66
as much as his mom!
Left: Again in Tulsa, this 1928 building along Rte 66 is a
wonderful example of old architecture.
Oklahoma's
Route 66
Oklahoma City!
Tulsa!