As I've learned from a bunch of e-mails in the past few months, Pete Pettry is a tireless booster of Route 66. The Mother Road goes through Edmond, Okla., but the town up until recently seems to have expressed little interest in playing up that historic link. If Edmond jumps on board, Pettry will be largely responsible.
Pettry sent me a copy of an article in the Edmond Sun newspaper about his and the town's efforts to boost its link to Route 66 before the state of Oklahoma celebrates its centennial next year. Here are some of the projects that are hoped to be completed:
- Installing brown Historic Route 66 road signs
- Quality, reflective Route 66 road-surface stenciling from Arcadia to Edmond
- Brochures
- Granite markers to mark two historic filling stations, the former site of the Wide Awake Cafe, former site of the Camp Dixie motor court, a circa 1960 Sonic Drive-In, the Territorial School House, and Memorial Park Cemetery, where pioneer aviator Wiley Post and transcontinental footrace winner Andy Payne are buried.
Pettry is trying to raise money from local businesses for these projects. With his energy, I have a lot of confidence this will be accomplished.
The history of the development of our country is so important. Thanks for your help preserving route 66 memories.
blessings,
shirley
Next time through Edmund, I will have to check out that cemetery. Do you happen to know the address.
I imagine Cyrus Avery is buried in your town of Tulsa. What is the name of the cemetery? This should be marked for Rt 66 fans.
Memorial Park Cemetery is at Kelly and Memorial in Edmond, according to the city’s Web site.
I’ll e-mail someone who’d know where Avery is buried. My reference books don’t contain this information.
Route 66 was so important to the development of our nation and that needs to be recognized. Projects like the one Pete Pettry is working on with ensure that the Mother Road get the recognition it deserves. I’m not sure where the longest stretch of Route 66 exists but Arizona claims to have it. I think Oklahoma would be a stong defender for the title.
Oklahoma does indeed have more miles of Route 66 than any other — about 400. That’s according to Michael Wallis, who ought to know.
And Oklahoma is the only state I know in which you can traverse the entire state on Route 66 without having to touch the interstate.