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

Next phase of Oklahoma Music Trail to launch at Route 66 Heritage Festival

The next phase of the Oklahoma Music Trail will be launched this weekend at the inaugural Route 66 Heritage Festival in downtown Miami, Oklahoma. The trail currently is a well-developed website shepherded by Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also is Oklahoma's tourism chief and a big Route 66 advocate. The Joplin Globe had details on … Continue reading Next phase of Oklahoma Music Trail to launch at Route 66 Heritage Festival

Otter Cove Diner and Gift Shop serves more than 1,100 on opening day

The Otter Cove Diner & Gift Shop in Miami, Oklahoma, served more than 1,100 customers during its opening day Monday, prompting some changes in the hours of operation due to the overwhelming (and gratifying) demand. The restaurant, which occupies a former gas station on a prominent corner of Route 66 and is owned by the … Continue reading Otter Cove Diner and Gift Shop serves more than 1,100 on opening day

Otter Cove Diner and Gift Shop in Miami scheduled to open July 1

The Route 66-themed Otter Cove Diner and Gift Shop, located in a former gas station at a prominent corner of Route 66 in Miami, Oklahoma, is scheduled to open its doors July 1. The diner announced its imminent opening with a Facebook post last week: The Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma last year purchased the former … Continue reading Otter Cove Diner and Gift Shop in Miami scheduled to open July 1

Miami group comes up with an intriguing way to dress up vacant storefronts

A group in Miami, Oklahoma, has fashioned a way to dress up its downtown using the windows of a long-vacant storefront. According to a recent story by KSNF-TV, the empty Milner Berkey Antique Store in downtown Miami is being used to pay tribute to renowned local artist Charles Banks Wilson using large panels placed in … Continue reading Miami group comes up with an intriguing way to dress up vacant storefronts

Long-closed gas station in Miami to be converted into Route 66-themed restaurant

A long-vacant gas station at a prominent corner of Miami, Oklahoma, will be converted into a Route 66-themed bistro, tea house and ice cream shop. The Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma recently purchased the former Texaco station that dates to the 1920s, reported the Miami News-Record. The property sits at South Main Street and Steve Owens … Continue reading Long-closed gas station in Miami to be converted into Route 66-themed restaurant

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

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

New murals add positive vides during a trying time

Two murals -- one in Albuquerque and another in Miami, Oklahoma -- seek to give people a positive outlook during the current coronavirus pandemic. The first mural by an artist named Paz is at Walter Street and Central Avenue (aka Route 66) in Albuquerque. KOB-TV in Albuquerque reports: The mural showcases two wings, in black … Continue reading New murals add positive vides during a trying time

Roamin’ Rich presents an alternative option for restoring Sidewalk Highway

Roamin' Rich Dinkela, president of the Route 66 Association of Missouri, recently proposed an alternative option for preserving the nearly century-old Sidewalk Highway in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. Dinkela, who owns a paving company in the St. Louis area, said in a Facebook video a few days ago he modified an earlier plan for the Sidewalk … Continue reading Roamin’ Rich presents an alternative option for restoring Sidewalk Highway