After five years of work, restoration is complete of the main, 90-foot-tall totem pole at Ed Galloway's historic Totem Pole Park near Foyil, Oklahoma. To celebrate, the park will host a free bluegrass-music jam from 2 p.m. until dusk Saturday. Refreshments and food trucks will be there. Face masks will be suggested, and organizers say … Continue reading Celebration set for Saturday for completion of Totem Pole Park restoration
Category: Art
Baxter Springs museum holds an exhibit of late local artisan’s Pitt Pets
The Baxter Springs Historical Museum in Baxter Springs, Kansas, is holding an exhibit of a deceased local artisan who made unique tiny sculptures from peach pits, called "Pitt Pets." Duane M. Lee, who died at age 65 in 2005, made an estimated 10,000 of his Pitt Pets, according to his son Don, and gave them … Continue reading Baxter Springs museum holds an exhibit of late local artisan’s Pitt Pets
Meteor City Trading Post being restored with a little help from their friends
The Meteor City Trading Post eventually will reopen for the first time since 2012 after its new owners have received a hand up from nearby Route 66 businesses and enthusiasts. The Arizona Daily Sun in a feature story recounts the three-year saga of Joann and Michael Brown of Indiana, who bought the abandoned and vandalized … Continue reading Meteor City Trading Post being restored with a little help from their friends
Statue of Liberty replicas contain their own historical cachet
A story in the Tulsa World over the weekend sent me down a rabbit hole to find more about small-but-nicely-crafted replicas of the Statue of Liberty that were installed in 200 towns across America seven decades ago. The Tulsa newspaper noted the 8 1/2-foot-tall Statue of Liberty at 17th Street and South Harvard Avenue in … Continue reading Statue of Liberty replicas contain their own historical cachet
Program features Route 66 artist Jerry McClanahan, Round Barn volunteer Mr. Sam
The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, which contains a network of PBS stations across the state, recently aired a 28-minute "Gallery America" segment about Route 66 artist and researcher Jerry McClanahan and effervescent Arcadia Round Barn volunteer "Mr. Sam" Gillaspy. The program is well-produced. Check it out below: McClanahan's art gallery just off Route 66 in … Continue reading Program features Route 66 artist Jerry McClanahan, Round Barn volunteer Mr. Sam
The story behind the buzzard on Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri
The Springfield News-Leader newspaper in Missouri has a regular feature that serves as an Answer Man column, where Steve Pokin tries to dig into and solve local mysteries -- some serious and some not-so-serious. Pokin was on vacation, so staff writer Wyatt Wheeler took over during the interim. Wheeler received this question in his email: … Continue reading The story behind the buzzard on Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri
New retro sign goes up at Josh Stout Gallery in southwest Tulsa
A new but retro-looking sign for Josh Stout Gallery lighted the night for the first time Tuesday evening in the Red Fork neighborhood just off Route 66 in southwest Tulsa. Stout, who specializes in creating sculptures and paintings, said in a telephone interview Tuesday he moved his gallery from his home in March into the … Continue reading New retro sign goes up at Josh Stout Gallery in southwest Tulsa
New murals add positive vides during a trying time
Two murals -- one in Albuquerque and another in Miami, Oklahoma -- seek to give people a positive outlook during the current coronavirus pandemic. The first mural by an artist named Paz is at Walter Street and Central Avenue (aka Route 66) in Albuquerque. KOB-TV in Albuquerque reports: The mural showcases two wings, in black … Continue reading New murals add positive vides during a trying time
Improvements coming to Andy Payne Park in Foyil
The town of Foyil, Oklahoma, soon will embark on improvements to Andy Payne Park -- best-known for its statue of Payne running -- off old Route 66 in the village. According to the Claremore Daily Progress newspaper in nearby Claremore: The improvements, budgeted at $11,000, will include three new picnic tables covered by a large … Continue reading Improvements coming to Andy Payne Park in Foyil
New art space at Powerhouse Visitors Center in Kingman to feature Bob Waldmire
New art space at the Powerhouse Visitors Center in Kingman, Arizona, will feature the works of late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire when it opens March 14. According to a news release from the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, the art space will feature Route 66 artwork on a rotating basis. The news release … Continue reading New art space at Powerhouse Visitors Center in Kingman to feature Bob Waldmire