Several Oklahoma organizations with Route 66 ties awarded preservation grants

The Oklahoma Historical Society awarded 37 entities a total of $520,000 in grants this year, including several with Route 66 ties. We mentioned yesterday the Totum Pole Park near Foyil received a $20,000 grant to help restore its Fiddle House. Here are the rest of them that are relevant to Route 66: Friends of the … Continue reading Several Oklahoma organizations with Route 66 ties awarded preservation grants

Sculptor wants a giant statue of aviation pioneer Wiley Post in Edmond

An Oklahoma City sculptor is seeking to erect a 50-foot-tall statue of aviation pioneer Wiley Post along Route 66 in nearby Edmond. Post's accomplishments are numerous: the first to fly solo around the world, a key developer of one of the first pressure suits and a discoverer of the jet stream. Post was born in Texas, but his family moved … Continue reading Sculptor wants a giant statue of aviation pioneer Wiley Post in Edmond

Three entities involved in Route 66 groups or towns win grants from National Trust fund

Three entities, including one dedicated to preserving the endangered Gasconade River Bridge in Missouri, recently received grants from the National Trust Preservation Fund. More about the bridge award from the National Trust's news release: The Route 66 Association of Missouri, Inc. was awarded $5,000 from the Kansas and Missouri Preservation Fund to hire an engineering … Continue reading Three entities involved in Route 66 groups or towns win grants from National Trust fund

Feds award $1M grant to improve Route 66’s bicycle safety from Edmond to Arcadia

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced last week it was giving a $1 million grant to boost bicycle safety along a short stretch of Route 66 from Edmond to Arcadia, Oklahoma. It was part of $21.8 million in grants for 33 National Scenic Byways Program projects, according to a news release from … Continue reading Feds award $1M grant to improve Route 66’s bicycle safety from Edmond to Arcadia

Edmond, North Lawndale consider changes to their sections of Route 66

Edmond, Oklahoma, and the Chicago community of North Lawndale are considering significant changes to their stretches of Route 66. The Oklahoman recently reported that Edmond is taking a hard look at Broadway south of downtown, which served as Route 66 from 1926 to 1954. Between Second and the south edge of town, the road is … Continue reading Edmond, North Lawndale consider changes to their sections of Route 66

Cycle 66 event in Edmond draws more than 800 riders

The second annual Cycle 66 event on Sunday in Edmond, Oklahoma, saw a sizable jump in participation. Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who leads the state's tourism department, told News on 6 that the number of cyclists rose from 500 during Cycle 66's inaugural event to more than 800 this year. Cycle 66 offered three planned … Continue reading Cycle 66 event in Edmond draws more than 800 riders

Cycle 66 tour and festival in Edmond announced for November 2021

The inaugural Cycle 66, a first-of-its-kind urban and rural bicycling tour and festival along historic Route 66, is set for November 2021, with diverse cycling routes showcasing the Mother Road via starting and finishing lines in vibrant downtown Edmond, Oklahoma. The Nov. 7, 2021, tour and festival is a charitable event that seeks to raise … Continue reading Cycle 66 tour and festival in Edmond announced for November 2021

Statue of Liberty replicas contain their own historical cachet

A story in the Tulsa World over the weekend sent me down a rabbit hole to find more about small-but-nicely-crafted replicas of the Statue of Liberty that were installed in 200 towns across America seven decades ago. The Tulsa newspaper noted the 8 1/2-foot-tall Statue of Liberty at 17th Street and South Harvard Avenue in … Continue reading Statue of Liberty replicas contain their own historical cachet

Edmond museum awarded a grant for new Route 66 exhibit

The Edmond Historical Society & Museum in Edmond, Oklahoma, recently received a $2,800 grant from the Oklahoma Historical Society to help pay for a Route 66 exhibit. The Edmond Sun newspaper reported: "Because of Edmond's placement along Route 66, visitors are eager to learn more about our role in the history of the Mother Road," … Continue reading Edmond museum awarded a grant for new Route 66 exhibit

Route 66 Trail project in Edmond to begin this month

A 2.4-mile Route 66 Trail for cyclists and pedestrians in Edmond, Oklahoma, will begin construction this month and be finished by spring. According to the Edmond Sun, the city and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation are sharing costs on the project. The city will cover $2.6 million of the cost from a capital improvement sales … Continue reading Route 66 Trail project in Edmond to begin this month