As if the Tulsa area wasn’t busy enough Saturday with the Route 66 Capital Cruise, the Blue Whale Visitor Center in nearby Catoosa. Oklahoma, held its grand opening after months of construction on the Route 66 landmark.
The day at the Blue Whale included a 5K run that drew an estimated 500 runners, vendor markets, live music and a fireworks show to cap the evening.
The new, 4,000-square-foot visitor center — topped by an eye-catching neon sign — includes a gift shop, historical exhibits and other amenities. Paths to the historic Blue Whale itself were also improved.
The visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also heads the state’s tourism department, cut the ceremonial ribbon on the site:
The City of Catoosa posted images from the event:
More images from Julie Clifton Brooks:
A few days before the event, KFOR-TV showed what the revamped Blue Whale site looked like before the crowds showed up.
The city received a $1.8 million grant from the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission to transform the Blue Whale site.
Longtime Tulsa-area zookeeper 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, served as the caretaker of the property for many years until the city purchased it in 2021.