Tulsa adding 29 historical markers along Route 66

Tulsa will erect a total of 29 historical markers along Route 66 in the next few weeks, continuing that city’s embrace of its Mother Road heritage.

The markers first were envisioned back in 2005 as part of the original Vision 2025 sales tax for Route 66 projects. The markers will cost $111,000, which included about $30,000 for the design and about $80,000 for making them. The markers also include a map to guide travelers.

The Tulsa World reported:

Featuring tourist-oriented stories and historical photos, the markers will appear at 29 locations spread along the 26 miles of Route 66 that pass through Tulsa, with most of them coming on the highway’s post-1932 alignment along 11th Street. Other markers will stand along the highway’s 1926 path down Admiral Place.
While enthusiasts had been wanting the signs for a long time, the Route 66 Commission launched a concerted effort about 18 months ago to make the project happen, said Ken Busby, executive director and CEO of the Route 66 Alliance.
“It was necessary to get buy-in all along the 26 miles of Route 66 in Tulsa, telling as many stories as we could and finding appropriate historic photos and writing accurate narratives,” Busby said. “It simply wasn’t possible to include every story, so we had to make sure that as wide a range of interesting stories as possible would be included.”

Public Radio Tulsa, which talked to Tulsa Route 66 Commission chairman Rhys Martin, reported:

Sign locations are on both alignments of Route 66 and include Rose Bowl, the Blue Dome District, Whittier Square and Crystal City.
“One of my favorite markers is the one that’s going to be near Admiral and Sheridan, which talks about McIntyre Field, which predates the Tulsa Municipal Airport and just talks a lot about Tulsa’s early transportation history, which is tied to Route 66 but isn’t a direct — you know, people wouldn’t normally think about something like that when they think about Route 66 history,” Martin said. “So, it’s a good opportunity to celebrate more of Tulsa than just the road itself.”

According to Fox23 in Tulsa and a map by the city, here’s where the markers will be placed at current and former landmarks:

  • Route 66 Eastern Gateway on East 11th Street near South Garnett Road
  • Motels on East 11th Street
  • Auto dealerships on East 11th Street
  • Wolf Robe Hunt’s Indian Trading Post
  • Rose Bowl, 7419 E. 11th St.
  • Bama Pie Co., 2745 E. 11th St.
  • Borden’s Restaurant
  • Beatrice Creamery Co.
  • Casa Loma Hotel (now the Campbell Hotel), 2636 E. 11th St.
  • Tulsa Monument Co., 1735 E. 11th St.
  • Dry Cleaners
  • Leyh Building
  • Warehouse Market, 925 S. Elgin Ave.
  • Bishop’s Driv-Inn
  • 10th Street and Main Street
  • Cathedral Square, 22 W. 10th St.
  • Blue Dome District, East Second Street and South Elgin Avenue
  • The Negro Motorist Green Book
  • McIntyre Airport, East Admiral Place and Sheridan Road
  • Cyrus Avery, East Admiral Place and Yale Avenue
  • Admiral Place, East Admiral Place and Harvard Avenue
  • Whittier Square, East Admiral Place and Lewis Avenue
  • West Tulsa
  • Quanah Retail Center
  • Tulsa’s first oil strike
  • Sapulpa Motor Court
  • Route 66 Village, 3770 Southwest Blvd.
  • Clinton Heights
  • Red Fork, Southwest Boulevard near South 25th West Avenue
  • Crystal City Shopping Center, 4261 Southwest Blvd., near the Route 66 Western Gateway

Tulsa has been attracting a lot of attention for its Route 66 efforts, which include a neon-sign grant program, several prominent sculptures and a planned neon park on the west end of the historic 11th Street Bridge.

(Image of one of the Route 66 historical markers at 11th Street and Garnett Road in Tulsa by the Tulsa Route 66 Commission via Facebook)

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