Last week, the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission announced the launch of a Route 66 commemorative map for the Sooner State.
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also leads the state’s tourism agency and is a big proponent of Route 66, attended a news conference at the state Capitol to promote the 2025-2026 map.
The maps will be available soon at Oklahoma welcome centers.
Oklahoma Route 66 Association President Rhys Martin showed the new map to longtime Route 66 advocate Shellee Graham:
The Journal-Record reports the fold-out map, designed by University of Oklahoma students, spotlights 20 popular stops along the road, including:
- Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger in Miami
- Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton
- Rock Cafe in Stroud
- Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on 66 in Tulsa
- Blue Whale in Catoosa
- Cotton Boll Motel sign in Canute
- Beckham County Courthouse in Sayre
- Pops in Arcadia
Drivers can use the map to find roadside motels, quirky attractions and diners that have popped up along the highway since the highway’s inception.
Also in the map is general traveler information such as a state parks facilities guide, helpful phone numbers and website addresses, maps of several prominent cities and all OTA PIKEPASS routes.
More from the newspaper:
Oklahoma Department of Transportation Executive Director Tim Gatz said map planning began more than a year ago. He said he can’t imagine a more significant transportation-related event than the centennial celebration for Route 66. He anticipates the 2025-2026 map will be “extremely popular.”
Sterling Zearly, interim executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, called the map an important marketing tool. He said it’s amazing to converse with people in European countries who speak about Route 66 and the destinations along the way.
“We have a great opportunity gearing up to the centennial, we will be making a huge push marketing-wise going forward,” Zearly said.
An online image of both sides of the map can be viewed here.
(Image of the cover of the new 2025-2026 Oklahoma road map via the State of Oklahoma)