A reminder about photographs: Some photographs appear as thumbnails, all other photographs appear within the text as hyperlinks, so be sure to check them out!
A reminder about photographs: Some photographs appear as
thumbnails, all other photographs appear within the text as hyperlinks, so be sure to
check them out!
In Oklahoma, we went through Quapaw. Thank goodness it was daylight, so I needn't
have worried about the famous Spooklight. It was only after I came home that I read about
this in one of the books I had purchased along the Route. The name Spooklight is perfect
for it, it sure sounds spooky to me! Very simply put, it's a mysterious bobbing ball
of light, much researched and for which many theories exist. A common theory is
that it is the light refracted from car headlights, but the Spooklight has been sighted
since the late 1800's, before the invention of the automobile...so again, I'm glad it was
morning!!
Next was the small town of Commerce (the home of Mickey Mantle - Route 66 is called Mickey
Mantle Boulevard here, but I never glanced over at the signs). We entered Miami
(pronounced MY - AM - AH). We found the gorgeous Coleman Theatre at First and Main
Street. Bob Moore's book says it is of Spanish mission design, built in 1929.
I was interested in also finding the sections of 8 foot roadway he described, which I had
seen in the Michael Wallis video. However, I was just doing fine following the
present alignment, and was having difficulty skipping around to find these two
sections. Again, another thing for next time! (Boy, I can't wait until next
time! LOL)
We followed the main alignment through Narcissa and into Afton, finding a very different
Rest Haven Motel...quite unlike the one in Springfield, Missouri!
We entered Vinita, and as I read a banner draped above the streets advertising the
Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo, I looked down in
the Bob Moore book to see: "The annual Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo is held in
late August." LOL We went through White Oak, Chelsea and
Bushyhead, and kept a lookout for Foyil, and a turnoff to SH 28A. The Top Hat Dairy
Bar was listed as a landmark to look out for. We found it, and made the left turn
for a short side trip to Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park. This is the home of an
interesting small park containing some interesting folk art in the form of totem poles,
the largest one of which is 90 feet tall.
Sign, Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park
Bottom of the largest Totem Pole
Totem Pole
Next we went
through Claremore, where we stopped at the Will Rogers Memorial. The
memorial itself is located on such a beautiful site (photo at left). Claremore is
the home of Lynn Riggs, the author of Green Grow The Lilacs, which was the basis
for the musical, Oklahoma!
We then followed Bob Moore's book to an old alignment, where we found another Route
66 icon...the Blue Whale in Catoosa. Back in the Illinois section, I mentioned
Amber's nervousness about NO TRESPASSING signs. Well, the reason is
that we had read in Michael Wallis' Route 66: The Mother Road,
about two signs near the Blue Whale: KEEP OUT OR EAT LEAD and DANGER
- DONT MESS AROUND - KEEP OUT YOU MAY BE SHOT. Oooookay!! A nice
friendly welcome to the smiling Blue Whale! But it was nice that he was all painted and
restored, and he even was wearing a baseball cap! I have seen pictures on other sites of
travelers braver than me, sneaking around there to get pictures. But we took ours at
a nice, safe distance by the side of the road. Amber was even nervous when I drove
into the parking area for a minute to take the picture of the ARK (Animal Reptile
Kingdom)! (Above, left).
We followed Bob Moore's book throughout this section with no problem, including a section of old alignment before Bristow.
We passed through Davenport, through Chandler and by the Lincoln Motel, into Wellston and
Arcadia, with the Round Barn built in
1898. Many photographs from my previous research showed it dilapidated, but it
has since been beautifully restored. Also here was Hillbillee's Cafe.
After Arcadia, we went through Edmond, and then on to Oklahoma City.
We had no difficulty traveling within the state capitol, and on to Yukon, the
home of Garth Brooks.
We ate dinner at a cool place in Yukon called Sid's Diner. The kids who worked there
were so nice and friendly, and the most attentive I have ever encountered!
The food
was as excellent as the service (I had the best onion burger)!
It wasn't too much farther to El Reno, where we were to spend the night.
I went crazy trying to find the Big 8 
Motel, where I considered staying (and if I felt so inclined,
would ask for Room 117). The reason being was that this motel was used in the
film Rain Man, with Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. The filmmakers
gave the
motel a sign which they put up for the movie, saying "Amarillo's Finest"
(remember, we're in El Reno, Oklahoma!), which the owners left up (much to some people's
confusion!). They even promoted their motel as being used in Rain Man,
keeping Room 117 decorated the same as it was in the movie. I drove up and down, and
I knew I was in the right place, but the Big 8 just wasn't there! I gave up, and we
decided to stay at a Super 8 just off Route 66 in El Reno. The photo above left, is
a screen capture I took from my videotape made at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton,
where we would go the following day.
The sunset that evening, between Yukon & El Reno.
This morning I asked a clerk at a gas station/convenience store about the Big 8, still
wondering why I couldn't locate it. The reason I couldn't find it was because it wasn't
the Big 8 Motel anymore! It was now called the Deluxe Inn. I still recognized
the motel, but it just didn't have the same look without the Big 8 sign, and the
Amarillo's Finest sign was not there. Still, I took pictures of the front exterior and
Room 117. I wonder if that's been
redecorated? Probably, since they are obviously no longer promoting their Rain
Man claim to fame. Kind of a disappointment there.
We followed the Bob Moore book out of El Reno,
through Geary. Of course, we followed another old alignment, crossing the Canadian
River on the 38 span bridge.
In Hydro, we anticipated seeing Lucille
Hamon's store. Another Route 66 legend, Lucille is
known as the "Mother of the Mother Road." Way back when, Lucille would
often help travelers with no money by offering food, gas, a place to stay, etc. in
exchange for items instead of money. It was early this day, about 9:30 AM, and all
was quiet, so we thought it was a bit early to see Lucille, being elderly, so we kept
going.
On September 9, 2000, while surfing for links for this site, Amber and I were saddened
to learn that Lucille passed away on August 18, 2000, two days after we had stopped at the
store. I found a nice tribute page for
Lucille at this link. In addition, Lucille's daughter, Cheryl, runs a site on
her mother's behalf, Lucille's on Route 66 in
Oklahoma where you can read further information on Lucille and her store.
Finally, Cheryl and the Oklahoma Route 66 Association have an obituary page for Lucille
as well. While we did not meet Lucille, in even the most casual
Route 66 research, one will come across stories and photos of her, and the travelers who
were able to meet with her and share their experiences. I am glad for all those
touching stories!
We continued following Bob Moore's book through Weatherford and into Clinton, eagerly
anticipating breakfast at Pop Hicks Restaurant. Ever since I saw it in Michael
Wallis' Journey Down Route 66 video years ago, I wanted to make this stop if I
ever got the chance to travel Route 66. The friendly atmosphere there was so
appealing!
As with the Big 8 in El Reno, I went back and forth, baffled again. I knew I was in
the right place, .2 miles past the railroad tracks, by the
Glancy Motel. I pulled into a gas
station, since I had to get gas anyway, and asked about it. The store clerk said that Pop
Hicks Restaurant had burned down just about one year ago...I was so sad!!! I hadn't
seen any recent traveler's websites indicating this, I didn't have alot of time to really
plan every aspect of this trip, so I didn't know this had happened. She indicated
where it was, just where I thought. The foundation and tile floor were all that remained.
Shortly afterward, we went to the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, where they had an
exhibit in tribute to Pop Hicks Restaurant. Click on the
link for some digital images from the video I took of this exhibit.
We followed Gary Boulevard, a later alignment of Route 66, since we wanted to head to the
Oklahoma Route 66 Museum.
The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum was excellent, and very
interesting. If you choose, you can use an audio cassette player with headphones to
follow the exhibits, with a tape narrated by Michael Wallis. I filmed alot of the
exhibits, if you click on the link just above, you will see a very small sampling of
digital pictures (aside from the Pop Hicks tribute above, which was in the foyer).
Their giftshop was fabulous, and I bought alot of books, memorabilia, postcards and Route
66 clothing here (including a Route 66 jacket, button-down shirt with a cool Route 66
print fabric, and a few t-shirts).
After the museum, we spotted another Sonic Drive-In, so we stopped there
and then doubled back to Pop Hicks to look at the site again. I videotaped a little
of the site, and I put three digital images in the Pop Hicks page, above.
Also in Clinton is the Route 66 Mini Golf
and this Indian Statue. Not a
Muffler Man, but I believe some (or most) Indian statues are listed at the Muffler Men
secret conspiracy website.
We followed Bob Moore's book, again through Foss, Canute, where we saw the Cotton Boll Motel, and onto Elk City, where we stopped at the National Route 66 Museum. Another great museum, as well! For a small sampling of their exhibits, click on the link.
In Sayre, the Courthouse and
Main Street were used in the movie The Grapes of Wrath. Just before the
shot of the Joad truck turning in front of this building in the film, they show a sign
that says Oklahoma City, which would make you think this is the Capitol building!
The Western Motel is also located in Sayre.
On through Erick, and Texola, the last town in
Oklahoma, where I took these two pictures.
This page was last updated on Saturday, July 19, 2008
