Town-by-Town Tour of Oklahoma Route 66
A partial listing of Oklahoma Route 66 towns follows, arranged East to West
Material on this page furnished by Cheryl Nowka, Marian Clark, Jim Ross and Kathy Anderson
Additional information is available in our Trip Guide, available here.
Quapaw
- Named after Quapaw Indians, originally from Arkansas.
- Dark Horse Zinc Mine, 1907.
- Nice murals on buildings.
- Devil’s Promenade Road east of town - Spooklight.
- July 4th each year the oldest Pow-Wow in the U.S. is held at Beaver Springs State Park. 2006 marks 134 years; open to the public.
Commerce
- Originally called North Miami; changed name in 1914.
- Home town of Mickey Mantle; his home, at 319 S. Quincy, is slated for a museum.
- Site of Turkey Fat Mine.
- Site of the Rock Shop.
- Cal Campbell was killed here by outlaws Bonnie & Clyde.
Miami
- Originally a trading post called Jimtown; post office established in 1890 by Jim Palmer and named Miami in honor of his wife, a Miami Indian.
- Dobson Museum.
- Home of Newell Motorcoaches.
- Coleman Theatre Beautiful built in 1929.
- Turnoff to Grand Lake.
- Good eats at Waylan's Ku-Ku Burger or the Pizza Hut Express, both run by OK Route 66 Association members.
- 9-foot wide old alignment of 66 that once connected Miami and Afton still exists in two sections: one leaving town, the other south of Narcissa.
Narcissa
- Established 1902; only town that existed on 9-foot roadway that ran between Miami and Afton.
Afton
- Established 1886. Named by Scottish railroad surveyor for his daughter, who was named after the river of the same name in Scotland. River mentioned in a Robert Burns poem too.
- Former home of the Buffalo Ranch, now closed.
- Look for the classic Rest Haven Motel sign.
- Home to Laurel Kane and her restored Afton Station, a vintage DX gas station.
- Turn off to Har-Ber Village.
Vinita
- Named after Miss Vinnie Ream, a sculptor commissioned to model the life-size statue of Lincoln in the U.S. Capitol.
- Oldest village in Oklahoma, originally called Downingville. Name changed in when the MKT, Atlantic & Pacific RR built a station.
- Eastern Trails Museum.
- World's Largest Calf Fry Festival held every September.
- Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo.
- Clanton's Cafe: operated by 4 generations of the same family.
Chelsea
- Established circa 1870.
- Oil first discovered in OK Indian Territory west of Chelsea 1889.
- Will Rogers' sister, Sallie McSpadden, called this her home.
- Gene Autrey was a railroad employee here and at other 66 towns.
- Two Sears & Roebuck homes here; one is at 1001 Olive Street, built in 1913 for $1600.
Bushyhead
- Established 1898 and named after a Cherokee Chief.
Foyil
- Established 1890.
- Home of Andy Payne, winner of the famous Bunion Derby, or The Great Transcontinental Footrace, of 1928. Payne entered to win the $25,000 first prize; after nearly 3 months, 25% of the original 200+ runners limped into Madison Square Garden with Payne in the lead. Winners had to wait nearly a week for the promoter, C.C. Pyle, to make good on the money.
- Original stretch of pinkish Route 66 concrete runs through the west half of town, called Andy Payne Blvd. If westbound, this is the first stretch of old original Portland Cement Concrete paving you'll see in Oklahoma.
- Andy Payne Monument.
- Totem Poles created by Ed Galloway, begun in early 1940s - located about 4 miles E of town on SH28A.
- Top Hat Dairy Bar.
Sequoyah
- Named for inventor of the Cherokee alphabet.
Claremore
- Home town of Will Rogers - Will Rogers Memorial.
- Began as an Osage Indian community.
- Site of sulphur water found in 1903 when drilling for oil, spawning “radium” bath house businesses throughout town.
- Will Rogers Hotel.
- J.M. Davis Gun Museum.
Verdigris
- Twin Bridges over Verdigris River - westbound bridge built in 1936; eastbound bridge built in 1957.
Catoosa
- Named after “Old Catoos” (rounded hill west of town); a derivation of Gi-tu-zi, Cherokee for “Here live the people of the light.”
- Port of Catoosa is the largest inland seaport in the United States.
- Arkansas River Historical Society Museum at Port of Catoosa.
- Molly’s Landing Restaurant.
- Blue Whale, a classic roadside attraction.
- Old Wolf-Robe's Indian Trading Post/Arrowood's, now a car repair shop across the street from Blue Whale.
Tulsa
- Originally called Tulsey Town after the Creek Indians of the Tallasse or Tulsey community; Creeks originally from Alabama; moved to Oklahoma in the 1880s.
- First post office 1879 in home of George Perryman.
- Atlantic & Pacific RR came in 1882 - cattle drives.
- Old motels on 10th & 11th Streets, and on Southwest Blvd.
- 11th Street to Mingo Road to Admiral Place to Lewis to 2nd to Detroit to 7th to Cheyenne then to 11th was original 66 alignment. 11th Street as a straight-shot began in 1933.
- Home to “Father of Route 66” Cyrus Avery. Mingo Circle marks the site of where Cyrus Avery had a service station and restaurant.
- Art Deco 11th Street Bridge. Art Deco buildings downtown date from the 1920-30s.
- Gilcrease Museum and Philbrook Museum of Art.
- First Oil well in Tulsa County behind Ollies' Restaurant.
- Home to Mother Road notables Michael Wallis, Marian Clark & John Ackenhausen.
Sapulpa
- Named for Chief Sapulpa, a Creek Indian from Alabama.
- Frisco RR came in 1886, and Sapulpa became an important cattle shipping/loading center.
- Indian Boarding School established in 1893 by the Euchee Indians. School taken over by the federal government in 1898.
- Frankoma Pottery on older alignment north of town.
- Norma's Diamond Cafe.
- Sapulpa Historical Museum.
- Sapulpa Trolley & Rail project.
- Old brick-decked bridge near the remains of the Teepee Drive-In Theater.
Kellyville
- Established 1893.
- Old cotton gin.
Bristow
- In 1897, trading post on Creek land in Indian Territory; town founded 1901 and named after J.L. Bristow, Asst Postmaster General.
- Site of Oklahoma's first radio station, KRFU, “The Voice of Oklahoma.” Later renamed KVOO and moved to Tulsa in 1927.
- More brick paved streets than any other town or city in the state.
- Bristow Museum in restored railroad depot.
- Russ' Ribs.
Depew
- Established 1901 and named for N.Y. Senator Chauncey Depew. Prior to that it was called Halls by the railroad.
- Original 66 alignment went through town on top of hill - later bypassed.
- Old buildings in tiny downtown district.
Stroud
- Founded 1892, named for trader James Stroud.
- OK’s largest underground natural gas storage (Stroud to Bristow) at 75 billion cu ft.
- Tanger Mall wiped out several years ago by a tornado.
- The Rock Café - established 1939. Severely damaged by fire in 2008, the owner has vowed to rebuild.
- Ghost sign of old Coke sign painted on the bldg.
- Shoe Tree E of town on an old alignment.
Davenport
- Founded in 1892, named for town's first postmistress.
- Oil discovered in 1924.
- Main Street is lined with brick from the local brick plant and is known locally as “Snuff Street” - as in take a dip...
- Site of world’s first round oil tank, 1925.
- Ozark Trail obelisk east of town.
- Dan's Bar-b-que and Gar Wooly's 66 Café.
Chandler
- Founded 1891, after George Chandler, Asst. Secretary of Interior under President Harrison.
- Almost completely destroyed by a tornado in 1897.
- Last old-west gunfight in OK took the life of lawman Bill Tilghman in 1924—he’s buried in the cemetery west of town.
- Lincoln Motel, in business on Route 66 since 1939.
- Lincoln County Museum of Pioneer History.
- Old Armory restoration project.
- Old Phillips 66 cottage style station being restored.
- Meramec Caverns barn west of town on 66; last remaining one on 66 in Oklahoma.
Warwick
- Named for a county in England.
- Seaba Station - on the National Register of Historic Places.
Wellston
- Named for local merchant Christian Wells.
- Pioneer Camp BBQ, with marble-eyed totem and one remnant of a motor court unit.
- This community fought as far as the State Supreme Court to keep Wellston on Route 66 (1933).
- Two pony truss bridges - one on SH 66B, one on SH 66.
Luther
- Established 1890 and named for OKC businessman Luther Jones.
- Winery north of town.
- DJ's BBQ, located between Luther and Arcadia.
Arcadia
- The Round Barn, constructed in 1898.
- Home of author/publisherJim Ross - modeled after Phillips 66 Station in nearby Chandler.
Edmond
- Established by railroad in 1887; settled in 1889 land run.
- Happy Hippo.
- Sander's Camera Shop - old territorial schoolhouse.
- Edmond Historical Society Museum.
- Memorial Park Cemetery - resting place of Wiley Post, famous aviator and friend of Will Rogers.
Oklahoma City
- Kelley Ave - look for old 1920s gas pump in the brush.
- Britton Road was known as Beltline 66, a city bypass.
- Capitol Building on Route 66.
- Several alignments of 66 through OKC, including Western and Classen as N/S streets, as well as Kelley and Lincoln.
- Kamp's Grocery (1910) with Milk Bottle Building across the street on Classen, an early alignment.
- Near 66: Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center; Okla. County Line Restaurant, with trap doors and fake doors providing hiding and escape for gangsters such as Pretty Boy Floyd; Bricktown Historic District; OKC National Memorial to Murrah Building bombing.
Warr Acres
- Established 1948 by developer CB Warr.
Bethany
- Established 1906 by Nazarene Church.
- Lots of antique shops.
- Lake Overholster Steel Truss Bridge was original 66 route.
Yukon
- Established 1891.
- Home town of Garth Brooks.
- Annual Czech Festival.
- Zillions of light bulbs on Yukon Flour Mill.
- Express Clydesdale Ranches.
Banner
- Originally known as Cereal.
- Highway skirts southern edge of this small farming community.
El Reno
- Founded with Rock Island RR two months after the run of 1889.
- Home of Kiowa-Apache-Comanche Reservation, in July 1901.
- Headquarters of Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribe.
- Home of the Onion Burger - try Johnnie's, Sid's or Robert's.
- Fried Onion Burger Day Festival - May.
- Tombstone Tales - September.
- A Small Town Weekend - June.
- Rain Man movie segment with Hoffman and Cruise shot at the Big 8 Motel, room #117. Motel since demolished.
- Fort Reno Visitor Center.
Calumet
- Established 1893.
- Original highway alignment went up through Calumet, across to Geary, then down across a suspension bridge to Bridgeport.
Geary
- Post Office established 1892, named after Ed Guerriere, an Indian scout.
- Canadian Rivers Museum.
- Ruins/bridge pilings of old suspension bridge SW of town.
Bridgeport
- Established 1895.
- Once a thriving community, now an official ghost town, but people still live here.
Hydro
- Established 1901, named for its abundance of good well water.
- Lucille Hamons Station - National Historic Site, listed as Provine, built in 1927. Lucille's is not IN Hydro, it is on Route 66. Hydro is 1 mile north of Route 66.
- Crosses in front of Lucille's commemorate Lucille Hamons and Cheryl Cory. A third may be added to honor Kirk Woodward.
- Hydro (in town) - Pioneer Museum.
- Graffiti Grill and Route 66 Soda Fountain.
Weatherford
- Founded 1893; named for U.S. Marshal William J. Weatherford.
- Birthplace of Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford.
- Museum with NASA memorabilia.
- 66 West Twin Drive-In, west of town on 66.
Clinton
- Frisco RR built here in 1903, Clinton was founded. Named for Federal Judge Clinton Erwin.
- Oklahoma Route 66 Museum - the 1st official state-operated Route 66 museum in the country.
- Cheyenne Cultural Center.
- Area was bypassed by land rush when the Cheyenne Arapaho Reservation was opened in 1892.
- Elvis Presley once stayed at the Trade Winds Courtyard Inn.
- WPA-era park.
- Jiggs Smoke House west of town.
Foss
- Founded around 1900.
- Once very thriving.
- Original alignment was north of town, then dropped through.
- Kobel's gas station ruin.
- Pioneer jail.
Canute
- Founded in 1902.
- Catholic Cemetery has life-size bronze of Christ and two kneeling Marys; rock grotto in hillside with wax figure of Christ and two angels. WPA Park; was Oklahoma's first state Park on 66, now a city park.
- Canute Heritage Center, in 1926 church.
- Jailhouse dating to 1918.
Elk City
- Home of the National Route 66 Museum and the Old Town Museum Complex.
- Elk City Pool, oil discovery 1947, 27 million barrels of oil in 6 years.
- Country Dove - try the French Silk Pie.
- Elk City Park miniature train.
- Coyote Hills Ranch.
- Anadarko Basin Museum of Natural History in the Casa Grande Hotel.
- Parker Rig 114 - a 179-foot world’s tallest, non-working oil rig.
Sayre
- Founded in 1901 and named for Robert H. Sayre, a stockholder in the railroad.
- Beckham County Courthouse can be seen in the movie The Grapes of Wrath.
- Jess Willard, the boxer known as the “Great White Hope,” ran a rooming house here.
- Old Hotel B & B, River Bend Steakhouse.
- Corner of 4th & Elm has an underground pedestrian walkway once used to cross Route 66. Some people mistake these for storm shelter entrances.
- Whinery's Flying W Guest Ranch.
- Owl Drug Store - from 1920s.
- WPA-era park.
Hext
- Established 1901, named for a local resident.
- Abandoned north lanes between Sayre and Erick are original 66. The current lanes were added in the 1950s to upgrade this stretch to four lanes. Last section in Oklahoma to lose its U.S. 66 designation to I-40.
Erick
- Established 1901 and named for Beeks Erick, developer for the Choctaw Town Site.
- Home To Roger Miller and Sheb Wooley.
- 100th Meridian Museum.
- Roger Miller Museum.
- Ghost of police officer Elmer and his 1938 Ford.
- At traffic light, note 3 buildings on the corners have doors facing diagonally toward intersection. A fourth building, that also faced into the intersection, is now gone.
- Elm House Restaurant - combination restaurant and art gallery.
- Cal's Country Kitchen (since 1946) has new name & owner - “Rafter T.” Located north side of I-40.
- SandHills Curiosity Shoppe, located in an old Meat Market building downtown.
- Honey Farm, west of town, north side of I-40.
Texola
- Jail built in 1910 with iron bars for door and windows.
- Texola is almost a ghost town.
- Sign on bar on Texas edge of town: “There's no other place like this place anywhere near this place so this must be the place.”
