Only 24 Hours From Tulsa - Route 66, Galena to Catoosa

[UKDEB]

Index to all instalments

Monday, 26th July

Matt and I wake at 7am. Susan’s already up when we surface half an hour later and we’re all raring to go after our relaxed day yesterday. Today marks our first foray into our Route 66 excursions.

Oklahoma boasts more drivable miles of Route 66 than any other state. It enters Oklahoma at its most north easterly corner in Quapaw at the border with Kansas and exits in the west in Texola on the Texas border, passing directly through both Downtown Tulsa and Downtown OKC.

Our goal is to drive it border to border, albeit not in one outing. For us, based in Tulsa, it conveniently divides into 3 distinct stretches which allows us to intersperse our road trips with other activities. We aim to see as many of the Mother Road’s landmarks as humanly possible and no amount of protesting from our stomachs will prevent us from sampling its many mom-and-pop eateries.

We leave around 9:30am, Matt and me following Susan to her mechanic’s workshop where we’ll leave her car in his capable hands to work out what ails the air-conditioning system. Surfside Auto is a couple of miles from her former fairytale cottage in Florence Park where we were yesterday. Owner Gary Murphy has taken care of her cars for 20 years. He’s an unreformed surfer kind of guy whose offices are decorated with surfing paraphernalia. He wears Hawaiian shirts and a ponytail that nearly reaches his waist. You know how firmly his tongue was planted in his cheek when he named his business “Surfside” since Tulsa is more than a thousand miles from the closest suitable place to launch a surfboard.

Java Dave’s Coffee House, a Tulsa original, is right next door - to all intents and purposes, sharing the same lot – so it seems churlish not to start our day here. The choices are overwhelming. That is until I spot the Peanut Butter Mocha and the decision is suddenly simple. Heard of Reese’s? Me, too. Reese’s Peanut Butter Sauce? Nah, thought not. But this is what is stirred into Java Dave’s coffee to make a Peanut Butter Mocha. I momentarily conclude I must have died and gone to heaven. All sorts of coffee-making accoutrements are on sale here, but it’s the cornucopia of flavoured syrups which pique my interest. I’m very tempted by the orgeat syrup (an essential ingredient in certain cocktails), but concerned about the logistics of getting it home.

Before embarking on our journey, we have one more stop to make – the Tulsa Tourist Information Center. [In the months leading up to the trip, Susan has stopped by several times to collect pamphlets and the like to forward on to us. The ladies here have been so eager to help. One is named Debby. After speaking with Susan, learning of the Disney connection, and hearing my name she brought her Disneyland Mouseketeer ears expressly for Susan to give to me. She'd been looking for someone to hand them on to, not having the heart to just throw them away as she and her husband were downsizing during a move to a smaller home. She said she'd bring the ears and that Susan could pick them up the next time she dropped by (which wasn’t for another month or so). She was true to her word and kept them beneath the desk with no certainty that she’d ever see Susan again.] We’re thrilled to find that Debby is on duty today and spend some time chatting and browsing the gift shop. I’m taken with some Route 66 charms which Susan buys for me as a birthday gift. Debby presents us with a set of stunning posters depicting Oklahoma landmarks. She asks if we know anyone else who’d appreciate them, so we acquire a further set for our friends, Kev and Tam. It’s already 11am as we leave.

 

[UKDEB]

Our plan is to drive to the Oklahoma/Kansas border via the interstate and then wend our way back to Tulsa on The Mother Road. In the build-up to the trip, Susan has garnered the advice of Route 66 authority and champion, Michael Wallis (more about Michael in a later report). He has suggested that we head just over the border to drive the very short stretch of 66 which clips the corner of Kansas. He’s been kind enough to gift us a copy of Jerry McClanahan's EZ66, which he considers to be the definitive guide of those currently in print. [The EZ66 is a step-by-step, turn-by-turn handbook of every landmark, every obliterated fragment of original concrete, every dead end of Historic Route 66, written in a friendly, informal fashion and enhanced with detailed maps on every page.]

Our route from Galena to Tulsa on Historic US 66 mapped out on Google Maps

I’ve touched upon the roadworks around Metro Tulsa in a previous report. Orange traffic barrels are not only everywhere, but they move on a daily basis, so it pays to have your wits about you. As we head out on the I-44, we manage to take a wrong “turn”. [We didn’t deviate, but the road – thanks to the orange barrels – did]. We’re deep into the countryside at Locust Grove before we realise that we’re not where we’re supposed to be. Not the best turn of events given our already delayed start. We stop to peruse the map and are forced to take a different route north, eventually rejoining the Will Rogers Turnpike at Vinita. Here we’re able to grab a few snaps of the “World’s Largest McDonald’s” as we pass beneath it. The site of Vinita’s golden arches is one of several to aspire to this dubious claim to fame, it seems (the one on Sand Lake Road in Orlando being another pretender).

From Vinita, it’s around another 30 miles to the state line. We have one more stop to make before leaving the Super Slab and dipping a toe into Kansas. The Downstream Casino, owned by the Quapaw Tribe (which roughly translates as “the downstream people”), is located in the Tri-State area at the point where the Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas state borders meet. The casino itself is located in Oklahoma, the parking lot in Kansas and the main entrance in Missouri. Cool, huh?

Several of these enormous purpose-built resort casinos have sprung up in Oklahoma in recent years, each in Native American ownership. Following the policy of Indian removal in the early nineteenth century, each tribe was assigned land that was considered sovereign territory. Oklahoma state laws forbids gaming and owning a gambling business, but the Indian nations were (and are) entitled to their own government and laws and during the past couple of decades, many tribes have turned that legal oddity to a very profitable advantage. There’s poetic justice and a large touch of irony in these casinos built on tribal land. Constitutional scholars and lawyers have managed to use the very laws that hemmed Indian people in for the past four centuries to gain for them exclusive permission to open, own and operate very lucrative enterprises. And more beautiful irony; the people whose ancestors (ethnically if not actually) robbed the many tribes of their land are now lining up at casino parking lot entrances eager to go inside and hand over all the money they have.

We step inside the casino to ask about the historic three state marker and are directed to a point back near the resort entrance.

We drive the short distance across the border into Kansas and Galena, an old mining town, which is where we’ll begin our return trip on Route 66. Galena is the first of many ghost towns we’ll encounter over the coming days, but not altogether typical. Much of it is neglected, but the charmingly restored Kan-O-Tex station, 4 Women On The Route is a shining beacon in an otherwise grey town. The forecourt boasts Tow Tater, the truck which, in part, provided the inspiration for Mater in Disney Pixar’s Cars. [As with most of the characters and places in the movie, Mater is a combination of people and entities which John Lasseter and his team, led by Michael Wallis, happened across during their epic Route 66 scouting junkets.] As we stand outside snapping away with the camera, one of the “four women” appears, encouraging us to come on in. Melba Rigg is a character, and then some! She regales us with tales of the Mother Road and the making of Cars, barely stopping for breath. Turns out this sleepy little town was home to no fewer than five brothels in its boom town days. Her goal is to rebuild Galena “one building at a time”. She has completed four such projects in as many years and none of us has any doubt that this indomitable, ebullient woman can accomplish her aim.

[Kan-O-Tex is a defunct oil refinery, named for the three states in which its gas was sold – Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. 4 Women On The Route is the sole surviving location, albeit no longer pumping gas.]

This former house of ill repute is a future restoration project for the 4 Women, although maybe 'restoration' isn't the best choice of words. I'm assuming that their intention is to restore its fabric, rather than its purpose.

 

[UKDEB]

Departing Galena en route to Baxter Springs, we experience our first real taste of the old road. It unfurls in front of us, winding through the open countryside, in what will become a familiar, reassuring fashion. Arriving in Baxter Springs, we step out to take a look at the restored Phillips 66 Gas Station and Matt, who has been struggling a little with dry eyes, pops in to the drug store opposite to acquire some contact lens solution.

Having driven most of the 13 mile stretch of Kansas 66, we cross the Oklahoma State Line just a mile or so south of Baxter Springs.

After passing through the tiny town of Quapaw, we stop in Commerce, hometown of Yankee slugger, Mickey Mantle. The surprise find here is the Conoco Gas Station, which is at once delightful and downright bizarre.

Miami (pronounced Mi-am-ah in Oklahoma) is a veritable metropolis compared with what we’ve seen so far. On the outskirts, is the landmark Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger with its green and yellow neon sign and cuckoo. [Ku-Ku is a long forgotten fast-food franchise from the 60s when it boasted over 200 locations in the Midwest. Mr Waylan bought it back then and his is now the only remaining outlet.]

Downtown, the big attraction is the renovated vaudeville theatre and movie palace, the Coleman, complete with its original Wurlitzer. It opened to a full house of 1600 on 18th April, 1929 and, from that day forward, has never been “dark”. We drop in at the Visitors Center housed within it, only to find that the theatre doesn’t open for tours on Mondays. We’re invited to place pins in a world map. Judging by the near obliteration of our little isle, this is a popular stop for those visiting from the UK.

Disappointed, but not downhearted, we set off on our next quest – to track down the remnants of the famous 9 foot highway, known variously as the Sidewalk Highway, the Ribbon Road and, as favoured by Michael Wallis, the Scotch Road. Thanks to our trusty, EZ66 we find it fairly effortlessly, despite some roadworks on the way out of town. We stop several times to take it all in, not once clapping eyes on another living soul.

Pre-1937 pavement complete with curbs

It’s 4pm as we pull onto the forecourt of the DX gas station in Afton. This houses a collection of Route 66 memorabilia and 12 antique Packard vehicles. We’re a lot later arriving here than we’d imagined and it’s all closed up for the day. We can’t help noticing the stark contrast between this restored landmark and the crumbling, decaying buildings directly across the street. This is a phenomenon with which we’ll become accustomed throughout these little ghost towns scattered along the old road.

 

[UKDEB]

Back in Vinita (where, earlier today, we drove beneath the giant McDonald’s), this time on 66, our destination is Clanton’s Café. Owned by the same family since 1927, this is a Route 66 icon and, in common with several other places on our eateries wishlist, has featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri.

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The intention had been to stop here for lunch, but we’re so far behind schedule that we can’t even kid ourselves this is late lunch: it’s indubitably early dinner. We choose a booth directly beneath a signed poster of Guy, and our cheery server is soon with us. There’s a burger with Matt’s name on it: no surprise there. Susan and I are torn between the Pot Roast and the Chicken and Dressing, so we each order one with the intention of splitting them. The chicken is slow cooked and pulled. Dressing is what we call stuffing (Susan tells me the terms are interchangeable there) and this particular variant is cornmeal and sage. The pot roast has a brown gravy, whereas the chicken has white. We order sides of green beans and fried okra, plus onion rings (Matt), fries (Susan) and mash (me). Both mine and Susan’s come with a choice of soup or salad, so we order potato soup, plus a green salad with homemade French dressing. We swill it all down with lemonade and Mountain Dew. The cost is $31 pre-tip and Matt splashes out on a t-shirt.

Driving into Chelsea, we stop for the Chelsea Motel photo opportunity before going off in search of the vintage house mail-ordered from the Sears catalogue in 1913. Arriving at 10th and Olive, we puzzle over which of the properties is the subject of our hunt, writing off the rather grand two-storey affair. [Back at home the following day, we discover that this was, in fact, the Sears house.]

Excerpt from A Guide to Houses from Sears, Roebuck and Company by the owner, Erskine Hogue Stanberry in 1981

Approaching Foyil, we momentarily leave the Mother Road, making the 4 mile detour to the Totem Pole Park, home of the world’s largest concrete totem pole.

Ed Galloway built the giant totem pole over an 11 year period from 1937 to 1948, utilising some 28 tons of cement, six tons of steel, and 100 tons of sand and rock. His tribute to the American Indian features 200 carved pictures with four nine-foot Indians near the top, each representing a different tribe.

This centrepiece totem pole, rising from the back of an enormous turtle, sits in the midst of a nine-acre sloping expanse of lawn, trees and picnic tables. The park also features Galloway’s eleven-sided "Fiddle House" - supported inside and out by 25 concrete Totem Poles - that previously housed his hand-carved fiddles, furniture, and bas relief portraits of all of the US Presidents up to JFK.

Working mostly by himself, the totem pole and other sculptures in the park kept him busy during his retirement years right up until his death in 1962. Every day he rose at 5:00am and continued to work on his elaborate pieces until past sunset.

After his death, the sculptures began to fall into disrepair from weather and neglect. Unfortunately, many of the items were stolen from the Fiddle House in 1970 and were never recovered.

In the 1990s, a restoration effort was undertaken by the Kansas Grassroots Art Association. Members painted the totems during Labor Day and Memorial Day weekends over a seven year period.

The park is now owned and operated by the Rogers County Historical Society. The Foyil Heritage Association assists with fund raising and yard maintenance.

 

[UKDEB]

Back on Route 66, we initially sail past the fork which will take us through Foyil on Old 66 along Andy Payne Blvd, named for the Foyil resident and winner of the 1928 Bunion Derby, the Transcontinental Foot Race from Los Angeles to New York City that followed all of US66. We quickly realise our mistake and turn the car around.

The original Portland concrete of Andy Payne Blvd

We arrive in Claremore far too late to tour the Will Rogers Museum which closes at 5pm. We do spend a most pleasurable half hour or so taking in the grounds, memorial and stunning views, vowing to return later in the trip.

The Will Rogers wiki

Continuing our journey west, we cross the (almost) Twin Bridges which span the former channel of the Verdigris River (now Bird Creek) just outside Catoosa. The slightly smaller of the two was erected in 1936; its sibling added during the 4-lane expansion in 1957. Odd that the newer of the two seems to be in a more advanced state of disrepair.

Less than a mile on, in sight of the bridges, is Catoosa’s famous roadside attraction, the Blue Whale. Constructed by Hugh S Davis in the 1970s as a plaything for his children and presented as a surprise to his wife on their anniversary, it was later opened to the public, but closed in the late 80s. Davis’ brother-in-law, Indian Chief Wolf Robe Hunt, a full-blooded Acoma Indian, once ran the Arrowood Trading Post on the other side of the highway.

A stone’s throw away is the award-winning restaurant Molly’s Landing. We glance up as we pass it by having long since abandoned our initial plans to eat there this evening. In the run-up to the trip this has been identified as a must-do, so we determine to slot it in at a later date.

Still in the environs of Catoosa, we’re now very close to where we started out this morning at the Tourist Information office. Within little more than a few hundred yards the 4-lane 66 we’ve been driving becomes the I-44 and the rustic landscape morphs into cityscape. Catoosa’s latest landmark is the towering Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, this particular gaming emporium owned by the Cherokee Nation. Not only is this place surrounded by construction work, but it doesn’t have the immaculately manicured grounds of the Downstream Casino we visited earlier today. Once inside, though, you’d be hard-pressed to discern a difference – just row upon row of gaming tables and slots. None of us can see the fascination, but we can’t help but derive satisfaction from whatever karmic forces were at work in bringing about this righting of most deplorable wrongs. We resist the lure of Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill knowing that we will be spending an evening at the Oklahoma City location in a few days’ time, electing instead to have a drink at the Center Bar. Matt partakes of the Sam Adams Seasonal Summer Ale, I enjoy an EOS Chardonnay and Susan plumps for a Seven and Seven (which, for my non-American readers, is a Seagrams 7 and Seven Up).

This inscription on each of the doors, tickled Matt

As we approach Tulsa we make the decision not to follow 66 through Downtown. It’s late and we’ll have other opportunities to do that. As it’s dark, we do take the opportunity to hop off the expressway to see the restored and relocated Meadow Gold sign in all its neon glory. Thanks to the Foundation for Architecture and impassioned Tulsa residents, this 1930s Route 66 icon was saved from almost certain destruction when the abandoned building it sat on top of was demolished in 2004. Here are a couple of fascinating soundbites from Lee Ann Zeigler, the foundation’s executive director.

❛❛ It was important that the restoration work only preserve the sign and not rebuild it like new. Everyone has been surprised at how well the porcelain cleaned up.❜❜

❛❛ The only missing parts from the original sign are the two clocks. The last time any one remembers seeing the clocks in place was in the late 1970s. I've been on a lot of wild goose chases looking for them. Nobody can find them. The clocks, which were built in Cincinnati, Ohio, could be replicated because I found the plans for them. The issue is funding. It would cost $20,000 for both clocks.❜❜

Back at home Susan and I pop across the road to feed the neighbours' pets. The Huffman’s are away in Las Vegas for the week. Susan takes me on a quick tour, assuring me that they won’t mind. (Michelle, if you’re reading this, the remodelled bedroom and en-suite are gorgeous!) Once Pluto has been taken for a walk around the block, Susan and I partake of a glass of wine from local vineyard, Stone Bluff Cellars. By all accounts, she’s been keeping it on ice ever since the trip was first mooted. We hit the sack at 1am.

 

[Tammy Stringer]

Wow you certainly fitted an awful lot of sightseeing into this day.

Love the fact that you started with a Peanut butter mocha - now that sounds like my kind of drink.

Another great instalment - can't wait for the next one

Tam

 

[tony64]

Wow, long day.
I'd have loved to have been with you but your report is the next best thing to being there Debs.

 

[wickesy]

Great report Deb, it's really pushing Route 66 back up my list of must-do trips.

 

[irongirlof12]

wow, what an amazing day, more fab people, love all of the photo's of the vehicles, decaying buildings and art work, feel like I went with you!

 

[TotallyAngelic]

There is one word to describe your adventures and that word is .......


WOW !!!!!!!!


I am hanging on your every word .......

Photos are stunning !!!!

 

[SusanEllen]

I was there and I'm still amazed we did all that in one day.

 

[Latte Lover]

Fabulous report, Deb. I love the fascinating detail and you certainly pack a lot into your day!

Incidently, we have Reeces peanut butter sauce in our cupboard and I've just tried it in my coffee - delicious! I usually only pour it over vanilla ice-cream. I've just checked that it's on my shopping list for Florida now that I have a new use for it!

 

[Boss Hogg]

As I was driving the car, I can wholeheartedly confirm that we did do that much and travel that far today

 

[florida sun]

Absolutly fantastic report Deb, I could read your style of writing forever, Im a big Dave Gorman fan and his book America Unchained, however should your version hit the shelfs anytime soon, it would find a place on my most wanted list

So looking forward to more

 

[laurafergie]

That was amazing! You all must have been exhausted that night. I almost cried when I saw the Blue Whale. I am now so very homesick . Really, really enjoying this and I have sent links to my family, maybe they'll chime in.

 

[Chilly]

I'm tired just reading the report.

 

[mark&sue]

thoroughly enjoying your day today, so much information that I just did not know such as the gaming laws etc.

Great photos. Having recently been on a road trip of 1,300 from Spain to home it is refreshing to see all your wonderful stops and photos. We did 1,000 in 11 hours and I guess would have been good to look at stuff!!!!

Loving the food photos of course and love the size of the food portions. Hungry now!!

I have told many people that the biggest mcDonalds is in Orlando but having said that when we went it did not seem that big, whereas your photo does have McDonalds looking very huge.

Thank you for sharing

Susan

 

[LaurelRK66]

Debbie,

I've known about your Route 66 blog for a few weeks now, but being unfamiliar with this specific blog format, I didn't know how to reply until just today. Susan Yates led me here, and I'm so glad she did. Your writeups are very comprehensive and your photos are great! I'm so sorry we weren't open when you stopped by Afton Station, but from what I hear you might be coming back again soon, and we won't let you pass by again.

Laurel Kane
Afton Station

 

[UKDEB]

How lovely to see you here, Laurel, and thanks so much for taking the time to register and post. As you know, I've been having a wonderful time bringing myself up to date with your blog. We're hoping to be back in Oklahoma this fall and we're planning to head out to Afton specifically to see you. We'll make sure to call ahead!