A compromise between state and local officials will preserve one mile of the fabled Ribbon Road of original Route 66 in northeast Oklahoma after the county voted recently to grind up the asphalt on the three-mile stretch. KSNF-TV in nearby Joplin, Missouri, reported that Miami Mayor Bless Parker, state Rep. Steve Bashore, Lt. Gov. and … Continue reading Compromise leaves 1 mile of endangered Ribbon Road in Oklahoma untouched
Tag: Afton
County decides to grind up Sidewalk Highway asphalt despite pleas from preservationists
Ottawa County, Oklahoma, has decided to grind up the original asphalt and make other significant alterations to the 9-foot-wide "Sidewalk Highway" of original Route 66 between Miami and Afton. The county recently took the action despite pleas from the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and other historic preservationists to keep the century-old "Ribbon Road" intact as … Continue reading County decides to grind up Sidewalk Highway asphalt despite pleas from preservationists
Oklahoma Route 66 Association wants plans altered for rehabbing Ribbon Road
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is asking fans of Route 66 and Oklahoma history to lend their voice to an effort to preserve the Ribbon Road, a unique stretch of the famous highway in Ottawa County. “We agree that the road needs to be rehabilitated,” said Rhys Martin, president of the association. “With the centennial … Continue reading Oklahoma Route 66 Association wants plans altered for rehabbing Ribbon Road
Afton Station is for sale for the second time in less than four years
Afton Station in Afton, Oklahoma, has been put on the market for a second time since 2019, when it was auctioned after the owners' deaths. The former D-X gas station on Route 66 in the village's downtown is being listed by Solid Rock Realtors for $200,000. Here's a description of the property: OWN A PIECE … Continue reading Afton Station is for sale for the second time in less than four years
Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma undergoing historic review before rehabilitation work begins
A section of 9-foot-wide Sidewalk Highway, aka Ribbon Road, of Route 66 near Miami, Oklahoma, is undergoing a required Section 106 review before Ottawa County begins work to restore the century-old roadway. Section 106 is a review period required by the National Historic Preservation Act anytime work is imminent on or near historic properties. The … Continue reading Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma undergoing historic review before rehabilitation work begins
Betty Wheatley, Allen Threatt Sr. inducted into Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame
Betty Wheatley and the late Allen Threatt Sr. were inducted Saturday into the Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton. Wheatley owned the Dairy Ranch Drive-In in Afton, Oklahoma, for more than four decades. Threatt founded the Threatt Filling Station, one of the few Black-owned … Continue reading Betty Wheatley, Allen Threatt Sr. inducted into Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame
Recently unearthed home movie shows Buffalo Ranch near Afton in 1964
Rhys Martin, president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, recently acquired a 1964 home movie that shows Buffalo Ranch near Afton, Oklahoma, during its Route 66 heyday and digitized it. https://youtu.be/szhadH0bfbU Martin said in follow-up comments on Facebook he acquired the nearly 60-year-old 8mm home movie after it appeared for sale on eBay. "... I … Continue reading Recently unearthed home movie shows Buffalo Ranch near Afton in 1964
Renovations of Route 66’s Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma to begin in 2023
A long-awaited renovation of a 9-foot-wide, century-old section of Route 66 -- better known as the Sidewalk Highway -- in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, is slated to begin sometime in 2023. According to KSNF-TV, the project is in the planning stage: “What we got is a 1920 Federal Highway which is now a national trail, and … Continue reading Renovations of Route 66’s Sidewalk Highway in Oklahoma to begin in 2023
Latest RoadTripOK video focuses on sites in Miami, Afton, Vinita
The latest RoadTripOK video this week features sites on or near Route 66 in the Oklahoma towns of Miami, Afton and Vinita. Here is the video: https://youtu.be/fufC4_FGwhw Here are the three places the video covers: Coleman Theatre, MiamiDarryl Starbird's National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame Museum, AftonClanton's Cafe, Vinita Oklahoma Tourism and Broken … Continue reading Latest RoadTripOK video focuses on sites in Miami, Afton, Vinita
Fire destroys long-closed Palmer Hotel in Afton
A fire first reported Tuesday afternoon destroyed the long-closed Palmer Hotel along Route 66 in Afton, Oklahoma. The Joplin Globe in Missouri reported the fire was reported at 4 p.m. Tuesday. About 20 fire departments and 125 firefighters were called to battle the blaze, which continued to smolder 24 hours later. So much water was … Continue reading Fire destroys long-closed Palmer Hotel in Afton