Half-mile section of original Route 66 added to National Register

Original road - Route 66

A half-mile section of original Route 66 near Depew, Oklahoma, was added to the National Register of Historic Places, according to an email from the National Park Service.

The section of road runs east of Milfay Road for 0.46 miles. CLARIFICATION: I had the Google Street View map in the right place, but facing the wrong way. Also, Route 66 historian Jim Ross informs me that section of Route 66 has been open to travelers from Milfay Road for over a year because of a man from Tulsa who cleaned up the property and put an RV park there. The 2011 edition of Ross’ book, “Oklahoma Route 66,” indicated that stretch was inaccessible to travelers.


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This section of road served as Route 66 from 1926 to 1984, according to Ross’ book.

In fact, a lot of original Route 66 can be found between Bristow and Stroud in Oklahoma. Another section, called the Tank Farm Loop, is drivable and listed on the National Register. Here’s a video I produced about it a few years ago:

(Image of a stretch of original Route 66 between Stroud and Depew, Oklahoma, by Janice Duryea via Flickr)

2 thoughts on “Half-mile section of original Route 66 added to National Register

  1. Hi Ron! I’m a little confused on one point. The narrative says the section added to NRHP is east of Milfay Road, but the street view is from Milfay looking west. Going west is indeed blocked by both a debris pile and a surplus deuce-and-a-half, but going east takes you through the Route 66 Biker Rally and RV Park. This is a really nice section with a beautiful stone arch drain. My wife and I explored this section last month. Photos from that section are midway thru the album: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.wilkinson.942/media_set?set=a.893919330638048.1073741846.100000599695151&type=3

    1. Thanks for bringing the Google Street View problem to my attention; it’s been fixed. Also, I got an email from Jim Ross that clarifies whether that stretch is open. It once was closed.

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