The landmark Blue Whale site in Catoosa, Oklahoma, on Tuesday closed down temporarily for a months-long renovation project.
The Blue Whale of Catoosa page on Facebook stated the closure was prompted by safety concerns regarding the construction.
In the meantime, Blue Whale’s gift shop is being relocated to the D.W. Correll Museum, located at 19934 E. Pine St. in Catoosa.
The city received a $1.8 million grant from the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission to transform the Blue Whale site off Route 66, especially the visitors center, with neon lighting and other attractions.
The nearby Ark, which has been dismantled and put into storage, will be reassembled on the north side of the pond. The so-called Mushroom Patch just west of the property also will be restored.
The visitors center is expected to be finished by summer 2026.
Hugh Davis hand-made the Blue Whale from concrete and shaped rebar in 1970 as an anniversary gift to his wife.
The Blue Whale and its spring-fed pond became a popular swimming hole for locals and travelers along Route 66 alike.
It closed about 1988 and fell into disrepair until it was restored in the early 2000s.
Blaine Davis, Hugh’s son, was the caretaker at the property for many years until the city purchased the property in 2021.
(Artist’s rendering of the forthcoming renovated Blue Whale site via the City of Catoosa)