History is a year‑round activity | | |
We are now halfway through the 100‑year anniversary of Route 66. Have you made your way along the Mother Road this year? With so many of Oklahoma’s small towns located along the route, you’re bound to discover an exciting event, a new favorite stop, or a historic site you’ve never visited before.
Neon highlights along the route
If you’re a fan of neon—new or old—Oklahoma’s stretch of Route 66 is a treasure hunt.
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Waylan’s Ku‑Ku Burger (Miami): Stop in for a burger and check out the historic cuckoo clock in the dining room, once used as a promotional piece.
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Hi‑Way Café (Vinita): Its iconic neon sign, a Route 66 staple since 1963, was restored in 2022 with support from the National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program.
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Tulsa: From the Meadow Gold sign to El Rancho Grande and countless others, Tulsa boasts one of the state’s richest collections of neon signage.
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Stroud: The Rock Café and the Skyliner Motel offer classic Route 66 neon charm.
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Yukon: The 1916 Yukon’s Best Flour grain elevator recently restored its vibrant 1940s sign using modern LED units.
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Clinton: Don’t miss the glowing neon at McLain Rogers Park.
Outdoor adventures on Route 66
If you prefer fresh air and open spaces, Route 66 has plenty to offer.
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Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park (Chelsea): A nine‑acre park filled with unique folk art and the world’s largest concrete totem pole.
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Blue Whale of Catoosa: A beloved landmark with picnic areas, walking paths, and plenty of photo opportunities.
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Lake Overholser (Oklahoma City): Walk the greenways, cross a historic through‑truss bridge, or view the early‑20th‑century dam.
| Lake Overholser Bridge, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County. Courtesy of the OKSHPO. | |
Cool Off Indoors: Historic Buildings and Museums
If air conditioning is more your style during Oklahoma’s hot summer months, Route 66 offers endless indoor stops.
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Miami: Tour the historic Coleman Theatre.
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Claremore: Explore the National Register‑listed Main Street and visit the Will Rogers Memorial Museum.
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Tulsa: Visit the Admiral Drive‑In, the 11th Street Bridge, and numerous historic downtown buildings.
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Sapulpa: Its downtown historic district is filled with shops, restaurants, and beautifully preserved architecture.
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Luther & Arcadia: Experience the Threatt Filling Station, the Round Barn, and POPS.
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Oklahoma City: See the Gold Dome, the Milk Bottle Building, and the Asian District.
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Clinton: Stop by the Route 66 Museum for a deep dive into the highway’s history.
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Erick: Explore the rustic brick buildings of its historic Main Street.
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Celebrate Route 66’s Birthday
If you’re visiting in November, don’t miss the Route 66 birthday celebration on November 11 in Tulsa. It’s a great opportunity to honor the history, culture, and communities that make this highway an American icon.
We hope you take time this year to explore Route 66 in Oklahoma and learn more about how this historic highway shaped the nation. For more information, visit okroute66.com or okshpo-share.com.
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On June 15, 2026, we were excited to welcome Jonah McGuffie to the SHPO team as the Sulphur Grant Administrator. Jonah brings valuable experience with FEMA, ODOT, and disaster planning—expertise that will be essential as he works with property owners in Sulphur to stabilize their historic buildings. This position is funded through the Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund which was appropriated to the SHPO by the National Park Service.
On July 6, 2026, we will welcome Jason Fox, who will take the lead on the federal and state tax credit program. Jason joins us from the Idaho SHPO, where he served as the Federal Tax Credit Program and National Register of Historic Places Program Coordinator. He also brings meaningful ties to Oklahoma through his affiliation with both the Comanche and Cherokee Nations.
Their support comes at a crucial time as we navigate the challenges of a reduced staff. We are grateful for their energy, professionalism, and commitment to preservation. We are thrilled to have both Jonah and Jason on board and look forward to the positive impact they will make.
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2026 SHPO Calendar of Events (July-October)
The Oklahoma Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office, presents its July-October 2026 calendar of events. There are no registration fees unless noted. All events will take place virtually, unless otherwise stated. For more information, call 405-521-6249 or visit okhistory.org/shpo/events. Note: If you have a disability and require accommodation, call 405-521-6249 at least two days prior to the event.
CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES: Many of these programs meet the requirements for HSW hours/State of Oklahoma's Board of Governors of Licensed Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers, and for professional development hours/Oklahoma State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. The OKSHPO will email certificates of attendance upon request after the event, and participants self-report or document their attendance according to the policies of the respective boards.
Register online at okhistory.org/shpo/register.
Please check our website for updates at okhistory.org/shpo/events.
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SHPO Closed
SHPO Lunch and Learn: "Most Endangered Places" with Shelley Bierschank (12 p.m.)
Historic Preservation Review Committee Meeting (1:30 p.m., Dr.
Leroy H. Fischer Boardroom, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City and virtually via Teams)
| | | | | SHPO Lunch and Learn: "The World of Woodward: Native Lands, Grand Estates, and a City Park" with Briana Hefley-Shepard (12 p.m.) | | | | | |
SHPO Lunch and Learn: "Rooted Infrastructure: Caring for Trees that Anchor Our Historic Places" with Riley Coy (12 p.m.)
SHPO Closed
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Historic Preservation Review Committee Meeting (1:30 p.m., Dr.
Leroy H. Fischer Boardroom, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City and virtually via Teams)
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Make hay while the sun shines
Stories from Oklahoma's Centennial Farms and Ranches
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A photograph of artist Augusta Isabella Corson Metcalfe (1881-1971) with a deer in her painting studio.
Image courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society.
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In 1893, Edward and Mary Ann Corson, along with their two daughters and two sons, homesteaded a property in the bend of the Upper Washita River near Durham in Roger Mills County. The property would come to be known as the Break O'Day Farm and became an Oklahoma Centennial Farm in 1995.
Their daughter, Augusta Metcalfe, proved to be a talented child and began painting at the age of seven. Although she had no formal art training, Augusta's paintings won state and national acclaim and appeared in various publications, including Life magazine in 1950. Her paintings depicted life on the prairie and included a doctor in his buggy going on a call, prairie fires, the mail lady delivering mail, the now-gone town of Hamburg, and the red hills of western Oklahoma.
Often called the "Sagebrush Artist of Oklahoma," Ms. Metcalfe was the subject of a documentary titled "Pioneer Painter," and she was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Augusta's family home is now a museum that tells the story of her life and art.
Read more about Augusta Metcalfe in The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.
Visit the Break O'Day Farm & Metcalfe Museum website.
To learn more about the Oklahoma Centennial Farm & Ranch Program, visit okhistory.org/shpo/farmandranch.
| | Masthead photo credit: Image of locations along Route 66, courtesy of Nina Hager/Oklahoma Historical Society. | | |
OK | Preservation Advocate
July 2026
Volume 2, Issue 4
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