Rogers County Page 19 Landmarks See if you can find the following landmarks (listed in no particular order): A single arch truss bridge on westbound lanes. Water tower with a town s name and the 66 shield on it. Old 1926 steel truss bridge. Hint: East end of Chelsea on south side of 66 just east of bridges on street (NS 426) that intersects current 66. Original path of 66. Old strip of Portland cement just east of Verdigris/Catoosa bridge in Rogers Terminal/Reliance Truck. Matching old strip in housing addition near Molly s Landing.
Page 20 Rogers County CHELSEA The town was founded in 1870. Its name supposedly comes from a Frisco railroad worker homesick for his native hometown of Chelsea, England. Chelsea is the site of Oklahoma s first oil well. In 1882, Edward Byrd, a man from Missouri who was hunting in the area, noticed a film of oil on the surface of Spencer Creek. He later leased the land from the Cherokees. In 1888, he organized the United States Oil and Gas Company and in August of 1889 drilled the first oil well. Chelsea is also the site of the wonderfully preserved Hogue House at 10th and Olive. It was ordered by mail from Sears and Roebuck in 1913. Cost? $1,600. The Frisco Railroad delivered the pre-cut lumber, and many of the local citizens helped assemble the house. All the cuts of timber fit perfectly except for one piece. The house is still a private residence, so if you go sightseeing, please be content with viewing the house from the sidewalk or call the Chamber and set up an appointment to tour the inside. Gene Autry, who later became known as the Singing Cowboy, lived in Chelsea for a while, working for the Frisco Railroad. Autry also lived in Sapulpa, working for the Frisco there, too. Chelsea was also home to Sallie McSpadden, Will Rogers sister. The McSpaddens still live here to this day. A stretch of Route 66 between Claremore and Foyil is called the Clem McSpadden Highway, in honor of Rogers great-nephew, a onetime state legislator, lobbyist and rodeo announcer. It seems kind of appropriate for a relative of Will Rogers to have his name on a highway often called by his great uncle s name. Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce, 618 Pine: (918) 789-2567. Chelsea Motel/Sign. On the National Register of Historic Places. On the east end of town. Pedestrian tunnel under Highway 66. Sears Catalog Mail Order House 10th and Olive. By appointment only. (918) 789-2220. Site of Oklahoma s first noncommercial oil well. One mile south and 4 miles west off 66. Open 7 days a week. Free admission. Town name spelled out in white rock on the west edge of town. * Chelsea Motor Inn, 321 E. Layton. (918) 789-3437. * Main Street Diner, 251 West 6th, in downtown. (918) 789-2001. * Oak Hills Winery and Vineyards, 7070 S. 4240 Rd. (918) 789-9463. * Southern Belle Flea Market Inc., Hwy 66 and 5th Street. (918) 789-5212. * Route 66 Association member. FOYIL This tiny community is the hometown of Andy Payne, the winner of the 84-day, 2,400-mile 1928 First International Transcontinental Footrace, more commonly known as the Bunion Derby. Much of this L.A.-to-New-York race was run along Route 66. In the historic photos of the race, Andy s #43 uniform is labeled as Claremore, because Claremore was bigger and had more name recognition. Foyil s main street has been renamed Andy Payne Boulevard. Foyil also has a nice strip of the old Portland cement (P.C.) concrete pavement, the material with which much of original Route 66 was paved. If you are westbound, this is the first segment of P.C. concrete you ll see in the state. Study it well and watch out for its strange little half curbs that can rip up your tires if you re not careful. Once you recognize the look of old 66, it will help you find other older alignments as you travel through the state. Another distinction Foyil has is that it is the home of the World s Largest Totem Pole 90 feet tall. see FOYIL, page 22 DID YOU KNOW? Only 55 of the 275 runners who entered the 1928 Bunion Derby actually finished.
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Page 22 Rogers County FOYIL continued from page 20 The Totem Pole Park, or Galloway Park as it is sometimes called, is four miles east of Foyil on 28A and is certainly worth the short detour off Route 66. It is full of folk art concrete totems of all shapes and sizes and a multi-sided Fiddle House. The park was once the home of Ed Galloway, an industrial arts teacher from Sand Springs (near Tulsa) who retired to Foyil. He built all the items now seen at the park himself. After his death, the site was left untended for 20 years until the Kansas Grassroots Art Association stepped in. Local organizations have joined the effort, too. In 2008, members of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association helped clear fallen limbs from a nature trail at the site. Andy Payne historical marker, on old 66 in town. Andy Payne statue, on old 66 on west/south side of town. World s Largest Totem Pole. Four miles east of Foyil on 28A. Free admission. (918) 342-9149. CLAREMORE Claremore, located on Historic Route 66 and nestled in the hills and valleys of Northeastern Oklahoma, is one of Oklahoma s bestkept secrets. Museums are a big part of Claremore and its history. The Will Rogers Memorial and Photo by Ron Warnick Volunteers relax after clearing brush away from a fairy ring of giant mushrooms surrounding a pond near the Blue Whale. Museum is an eight-gallery museum with theaters, art and artifacts dedicated to the memory of Oklahoma s native son, Will Rogers. The J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum, located on Route 66 itself, houses a collection of 20,000 guns and gun-related items. The Lynn Riggs Memorial, dedicated to the author of Green Grow the Lilacs the basis for the musical Oklahoma! houses the original surrey with the fringe on top from the movie Oklahoma! The Oklahoma Military Academy Memorial Museum is located on the Rogers State University Campus. Antique shops are everywhere. Many are located in historic buildings. Claremore is close to Oolagah Lake, Claremore Lake and Lake Hudson. Claremore was also famous for its radium baths. In 1903, while the town was drilling for oil, it struck a large pool of mineral water instead. The boom was on, and radium bath houses became quite the rage. The older alignment of 66 follows J.M. Davis Boulevard, so be sure to check it out. * Claremore Convention & Visitors Bureau, 400 Veterans Parkway. (918) 341-8688. http://www.visitclaremore.org Belvidere Mansion, 121 N. Chickasaw. Restored Victorian mansion. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. Group tours by appointment. (918) 342-1127. Claremore Expo Center, 400 Veterans Parkway. * J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum, 333 N. Lynn Riggs. Open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Donations accepted. (918) 341-5707. Lynn Riggs Memorial, 121 N. Weenonah. Open 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; also open 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday in June-August. Groups by appointment. (918) 627-2716. Oklahoma Military Academy Memorial Museum, Rogers State University. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Free admission. (918) 343-7768. * Boom-A-Rang Diner, 302 W. Will Rogers Blvd., (918) 342-0601. * Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 1720 W. Will Rogers Blvd. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 7 days a week. Free admission. (800) 324-9455, (918) 341-0719. * The Nut House, 26677 Hwy. 66. (918) 266-1604. * Rogers County Historical Society, (918) 342-1127. * Shepherd s Cross, 16752 E. 450 Rd., (918) 342-5911. * Will Rogers Motor Inn, 940 W. Hwy. 66. (918) 341-4410. CATOOSA Catoosa is named for the nearby Catoosa Hill, just west of town. The name is supposedly derived from a Cherokee word meaning on the hill. During the days of cattle drives, Catoosa was a wild place. After weeks or months on the trail, cowboys who had just received their pay loved to come here to let off a little steam. Today, Catoosa is known as the furthest inland, ice-free year-round seaport in the United States. That s because it is at the head of the 445- mile McClellan-Kerr Arkansas Navigation System, which links Tulsa to the ocean via the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers. Catoosa is also famous for the Blue Whale swimming hole, which was restored recently. In 1993, a tornado hit Catoosa. Much of the area along the older alignment suffered severe damage, but citizens wasted little time and began rebuilding immediately. One new structure of interest is the Catoosa Historical Museum near the intersection of Ford and Cherokee. One of Catoosa s popular Twin Bridges was demolished last year after it fell into disrepair. Part of it has been converted into an elaborate entryway for Molly s Landing, just west of the remaining bridge. * Catoosa Chamber of Commerce, 650 S. Cherokee, Ste. C. (918) 266-6042. catoosachamber@ sbcglobal.net Arkansas River Historical Society Museum, 5350 Cimarron Rd. Open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Free admission. (918) 266-2291. * Blue Whale, north of town on 66. (918) 694-7390. * Catoosa Historical Society Museum and Depot, 207 N. Cherokee. Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Friday. * D.W. Correll Museum, 19934 E. Pine. Call (918) 266-3612 for information and hours. * Hampton Inn & Suites, 100 McNabb Field Road. (918) 739-3939. Molly s Landing, one mile north of the Blue Whale. (918) 739-3939. * Skelly Lodge, 27795 S. Skelly Road. (918) 266-3331. * Route 66 Association member. DID YOU KNOW? Paintmaster body shop in Tulsa has a Route 66 mural in the lobby.
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Page 24 Tulsa County Landmarks: See if you can find the following landmarks, listed in no particular order, on the 11 th Street alignment of Route 66: A school that looks like a cross between a castle and a prison. A phoenix on a fire station. Three broadcast towers. Several old motor courts. Historic Route 66 shield on a cement plant. A church with a dome on top. Several neon Route 66 signs on a building. The remnants of a Conoco gas station. Several Route 66-themed murals.
Tulsa County Page 25 Signage General Information Once you are in Tulsa proper, DO NOT follow the SH 66 signs. They will put you on the interstate. Detailed directions for Central Downtown: Westbound: From 193 rd E. Ave., turn right on 11 th Street and follow 11 th Street into town. Eleventh Street curves to the right in front of the Art Deco Warehouse Market, which now houses Lyon s Indian Store. At the light at Elgin, you will curve to the left, which puts you onto 10 th Street. Bear left through the intersection with Boulder, just in front of the First Church of Christ, Scientist (a large, domed building), to get back onto 11 th. The road curves left just after Denver, then bears right a bit to cross over the expressway below. This puts you on 12 th. Go through the intersection with Houston. You will come to a stop sign at a T intersection with overpasses to your right. Turn left to get onto Southwest Boulevard, with the 1915 Art Deco Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge paralleling the road on your right. Stay on Southwest Boulevard all the way out of town. the light at Elgin, the road bears right. Continue curving right through the light, then bear left in front of the Art Deco Warehouse Market. You are now on 11 th. Stay on 11 th all the way through town and out into the country to 193 rd E. Avenue, where you will turn left to go into Catoosa. Street names of Route 66 in Tulsa: East to west: 193 rd E. Ave. 11 th St. 10 th St. 11 th St. 12 th St. Southwest Boulevard To take the old alignment to Sapulpa, proceed west on Southwest Boulevard. To take the new alignment into Sapulpa: Take Southwest Boulevard to South 49 th Street West. There are actually two of these streets. The first is at a four-way stop. Ignore it and continue about a quarter-mile to the next one. There is no stop sign here; just a cluster of handmade signs and billboards to your right. Turn left onto this second 49 th St. W., which is a divided four-lane. Go one block and turn right to access I-44 West, then move over into the left lane to take the 66 west exit. Eastbound: Immediately after you cross the Arkansas River with the 1915 Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge paralleling you, the first street you ll pass is Riverside. It is on the right, just after you cross the river. Continue a short block to the next street and turn right onto 12 th. If you go under the overpasses, you ve gone too far. Stay on 12 th past Houston. The road will bear left, taking you over the expressway. Then it bears right. You are now at 11 th and Denver. Stay on 11 th. After Cheyenne, you bear left a bit. At Boulder, the street changes names to 10 th. Curve a bit to the right. Just before DID YOU KNOW? Route 66 took three different paths through Tulsa at various points in its history.
Page 26 Tulsa County TULSA Tulsa began as a Creek Indian settlement at the terminus of the Frisco Railroad. The name was taken from the old Tallasee settlement in Alabama Tulsey-town town meaning a political subdivision of the Creek Nation. Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma and was once known as The Oil Capital of the World. It was also home to Cyrus Avery, The Father of Route 66. Avery was an active Good Roads booster, influential businessman, and owner of a gas station, tourist court, and restaurant located on what is now the traffic circle at Mingo and Admiral Place. His passion for road improvements led him to become a prominent member of the committee to create a nationwide highway system. Avery was the one responsible for establishing the Chicago-to-L.A. route and designating it as Route 66. Avery was also the co-founder of the Highway 66 Association, dedicated to getting the new road paved and promoted. Photo by Emily Priddy Tulsa s famous neon Meadow Gold sign was restored in 2009. As you travel along the east and west sides of Tulsa on 66, you ll find a number of motels, tourist courts and shops that have seen better days. You ll also find some real gems. The downtown business district is a fascinating mix of wildly different architectural styles including Art Deco. Several business consortiums have been formed along the Route 66 corridor in an effort to revitalize the area, and City Councilor Blake Ewing is spearheading a task force that will explore ways to bring more tourists onto the Mother Road in Tulsa. Don t miss the historic Admiral Place alignment of 66 in Tulsa. This older path follows Admiral Place west to Lewis Avenue, then meanders through downtown Tulsa on Second Street. Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2 W. 2nd, Williams Center Tower II: (918) 585-1201. www. visittulsa.com *Apertures Photo, 1936 S. Harvard Ave. (918) 742-0500. Art Deco walking tour of downtown. (918) 585-1201. Creek Council Oak Tree, 18th and S. Cheyenne. Birthplace of Tulsa, the site marks the end of a devastating migration of the Lochapoka Band of Creek Indians. * Desert Hills Motel, 5220 E. 11th. (918) 834-3311. Fastrac Auto Glass. 6529 E. 46th St. (918) 622-8222. * El Rancho Grande, 1629 E. 11th. (918) 584-0816. * Lyon s Indian Store/Tulsa Treasures, 111 S. Detroit. (918) 582-6372. Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, 111 E. First St. (918) 596-1001. * Mural at Paintmaster Collision, 5950 E. 11th. (918) 836-8668. *Pyeatts Synthetics, 16701 E. Newton Place. (918) 234-3543. Route 66 memorabilia collection at Friction Products, 7605 E. 11th Street. * Sandusky Avenue Christian Church, East 11th and Sandusky. (918) 834-4427. * Tulsa Regional Early Ford V8 Club of America, (918) 835-4683. *Visit Tulsa, 2 W. 2nd Street, Ste. 150. (918) 560-0229. Red Fork West of the Arkansas River in Tulsa, Route 66 passes through a see RED FORK, page 27
Tulsa County Page 27 Red Fork continued from page 26 semi-industrial area that is home to an oil refinery, a rail yard, and several other businesses. Just past this area lies the old community of Red Fork. Although Red Fork was annexed into Tulsa more than 75 years ago, it has retained a small-town feel. Many southwest Tulsans are lifelong residents of Red Fork and the surrounding areas. People in the community tend to know each other well, partly because southwest Tulsa is the only part of town whose schools have a feeder pattern that makes it possible for students to attend elementary, middle and high school together an unusual circumstance in a city the size of Tulsa. Daniel Webster Broadcasting and Digital Media Magnet High School is located just off Route 66 in Red Fork. Its picturesque campus and WPA architecture make it worth the half-block side trip. In March 2007, southwest Tulsa became home to RedFork Main Street, which works with residents, business owners, government officials, and local organizations to preserve and promote a four-mile stretch of Route 66 in southwest Tulsa. * RedFork Main Street, 3708 Southwest Blvd. (918) 445-4457. www.redforkmainstreet.org. * Ollie s Station Restaurant, West 41st and Southwest Boulevard. (918) 446-0524. Railroad This historic photo shows the view looking southwest on Route 66 in Red Fork, about a block from what is now the RedFork Main Street office. (Historic photo courtesy Beryl Ford Collection/Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa City-County Library and Tulsa Historical Society.) decor; popular breakfast buffet on weekends. Historic Red Fork. A few Plains Commercial buildings in the 4000 block of Southwest Boulevard are all that remain of Red Fork s oncebustling downtown area. Several of these structures are undergoing restoration work. First oil well in Tulsa County. A historic marker just south of Ollie s provides information about the Sue Bland #1, Tulsa s first oil well. *Route 66 Village, 3770 Southwest Blvd. (918) 446-4650. Transportation-themed park features a 154-foot-tall oil derrick, large Route 66 shield, Frisco 4500 train engine and several rail cars. More attractions are planned for the future. * Redfork Crossing Busines Services. 3704-3708 Southwest Blvd. (918) 583-2333. * Oklahoma Route 66 Association member. DID YOU KNOW? Tulsa resident Michael Wallis, author of Route 66: The Mother Road, provided the voice of the sheriff in the movie Cars.
Page 28 Tulsa County Signage General Information Follow the state Highway 66 signs to navigate through towns and to remain on the current alignment of 66. Street names of Route 66 in towns (east to west) Sapulpa: 66/New Sapulpa Road OR Frankoma Road/Old Sapulpa Road 66/Mission 66/Dewey 66 Kellyville: 66/no special name given Bristow: 66 66/Main 66/4 th Ave. 66/Roland St. Depew: Flynn Ave. Main Ladd Ave. Road Facts There are many older surviving sections of Route 66 in Creek County especially west of Depew and between Bristow and Sapulpa. We have shown the most drivable ones. Accessing an older alignment usually requires a slight jog, so keep your eyes open and check your distances on the map. They are generally signed as Old Hwy 66. Jim Ross Oklahoma Route 66 can also help you locate these old stretches. The old loop west of Sapulpa is especially great. Although most of the Portland cement concrete is lightly covered with asphalt, you can catch a few glimpses of it along the edges. It is bumpy and curvy and has an old brick-decked through truss bridge. If you are eastbound, access to this stretch is across the street from a gas station, just east of the interchange of 33 and I-44. If you are westbound, take the second right after the small Rock Creek Bridge marker on current 66. The road is street-signed Ozark Trail, but since many of the obscuring trees have been removed, you ll see the brickdecked steel truss bridge just before you make the jog and parallel the current road. DID YOU KNOW? Depew residents and business owners spent the summer of 2005 painting murals on downtown buildings.
Creek County Page 29 Landmarks See if you can find the following landmarks, listed in no particular order: Old manufacturing plant west of Kellyville. Old telephone poles. Hint: Just north of Bristow on old alignment by cemetery. Rock Creek Bridge. This is the brick-decked bridge on the old alignment west of Sapulpa. Flying roller skate. Hint: On current 66 between Tulsa and Sapulpa. Old single truss bridge. Hint: On old alignment by cemetery north of Bristow. Any old segments of 66 not marked on this map. Route 66 Shoe Tree. Hint: 1/2 mile west of Camp Creek Bridge, east of Stroud. Old concrete bridge hidden in brush. Hint: About 2.9 miles east of Depew s easterly access to current SH 66. Was a part of the Ozark Trail. Tepee Drive-In movie theater. Dixieland Park. Hint: about 2.5 to 3 miles west of Sapulpa s golf course on a cross street called Dixieland Drive between old and new alignments. Sapulpa Trolley and Rail Museum Maggie M Maggie M is located at 701 E. Dewey, adjacent to the Tulsa-Sapulpa Union Railway offices. STAR has a Rail Museum and Souvenir Shop, located in a restored caboose just a few feet away. Visitors are welcome during regular business hours Monday through Friday. DID YOU KNOW? Heritage Park, a volunteer-built playground celebrating Sapulpa s history, is located just a block off Route 66.