New Oklahoma Route 66 grants go to Blue Whale improvements, giant dinosaur, neon projects

The Oklahoma Route 66 Commission announced more than $6.6 million in grants, including improvements to the Blue Whale in Catoosa, a 66-foot dinosaur in Tulsa and multiple neon-sign initiatives. The grants, initially reported by the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, cover 13 Route 66-related projects in the Sooner State. More about the grants can be found … Continue reading New Oklahoma Route 66 grants go to Blue Whale improvements, giant dinosaur, neon projects

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

Replica of old-time general store opens at National Route 66 Museum in Elk City

An old-fashioned general store museum recently opened at the National Route 66 Museum complex in Elk City, Oklahoma. KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City, as part of its ongoing "Is This a Great State or What" series, recently produced a segment about the faux store where nothing is for sale, but it can take visitors back a … Continue reading Replica of old-time general store opens at National Route 66 Museum in Elk City

Route 66 features prominently in Oklahoma Tourism’s new “Imagine That” campaign

Oklahoma Tourism earlier in the week announced the launch of its "Imagine That" campaign where Route 66 features prominently in the mix. According to a news release, it is the first television campaign showcasing the new state branding, and it marks the first time since 2015 the agency has released a campaign of this scale … Continue reading Route 66 features prominently in Oklahoma Tourism’s new “Imagine That” campaign

Casa Grande Hotel in Elk City makes list of Preservation Oklahoma’s Most Endangered Places

The nearly century-old but declining Casa Grande Hotel along Route 66 in Elk City, Oklahoma, recently made Preservation Oklahoma's annual list of its Most Endangered Places. Each year, Preservation Oklahoma seeks nominations from the public, and a team of historic preservation professionals meets to decide what properties to include on the list. Although being on … Continue reading Casa Grande Hotel in Elk City makes list of Preservation Oklahoma’s Most Endangered Places

Bluebird Inn boutique hotel opens in a historic building in downtown Elk City

The Route 66 town of Elk City, Oklahoma, has a new lodging option. It is the Bluebird Inn boutique hotel, located one block off the Mother Road in a former shoe store built in 1905. The Bluebird is located on the brick streets of 118 W. Broadway Ave. The hotel, which held its grand opening … Continue reading Bluebird Inn boutique hotel opens in a historic building in downtown Elk City

‘World’s largest Route 66 sign’ planned in Wellston won’t be the world’s largest

Longtime Route 66 researcher and artist Jerry McClanahan flagged an article in a local newspaper that reported Wellston, Oklahoma, is planning what reputedly would be the "world's largest" Route 66 sign. In a Facebook post, McClanahan posted a photograph of an Oct. 8 article from The Lincoln County News, based in Chandler, Oklahoma, that stated … Continue reading ‘World’s largest Route 66 sign’ planned in Wellston won’t be the world’s largest

Fire damages restaurant near Flamingo Inn in Elk City

A fire Friday night heavily damaged Pedro's Mexican Grill, formerly Phillip Bell's Famous Flamingo, next to the historic Flamingo Inn motel in Elk City, Oklahoma. According to The Elk City News, the fire at the restaurant at 2010 W. Third St. (aka Route 66) was reported at 11:52 p.m. Friday. There were no injuries, and … Continue reading Fire damages restaurant near Flamingo Inn in Elk City

Newest RoadTripOK video focuses on Elk City

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department on Wednesday uploaded the latest video of its RoadTripOK series -- the Route 66 town of Elk City. The video focuses on these three Elk City attractions: National Route 66 & Transportation MuseumPrairieFire Grille restaurantElk City biking trails Here's the video: https://youtu.be/nuT2OaeBnVE The previous week, the RoadTripOK crew visited … Continue reading Newest RoadTripOK video focuses on Elk City

Oklahoma’s black eye amid upcoming preservation conference

The Tulsa World this week published a preview of the “Are We There Yet? Preservation of Roadside Architecture and Attractions" symposium in Tulsa next month. The April 10-12 event is organized by National Park Service’s National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT), Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, Tulsa Foundation for Architecture, city of Tulsa, Tulsa … Continue reading Oklahoma’s black eye amid upcoming preservation conference