City of Catoosa purchases Blue Whale property

The city of Catoosa, Oklahoma, in April purchased the Blue Whale and its surrounding 23 1/2 acres from its longtime owners, the Davis family. Rhys Martin, president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, revealed the news during a blog post Sunday: Since Catoosa has taken ownership of the land, there have been several improvements. The … Continue reading City of Catoosa purchases Blue Whale property

Latest Oklahoma Tourism video focuses on Blue Whale, Molly’s Landing in Catoosa

Last month, the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department and Broken Arrow-based Retrospec Films announced they would launch a year-long series of road-trip films, including Route 66. One of their earliest films featured the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Pops in Arcadia and Living Kitchen in Depew — all along Route 66. This week, they featured the Blue Whale and the Molly's Landing restaurant and taco truck … Continue reading Latest Oklahoma Tourism video focuses on Blue Whale, Molly’s Landing in Catoosa

Owners, caretaker of Blue Whale named to Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame

The deceased former owners and a longtime caretaker of the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, were inducted into the 2018 Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame. The inductees were the Hugh and Zelta Davis, who owned the Route 66 landmark for years, and their son, Blaine Davis, a caretaker for the whale. The Oklahoma Route … Continue reading Owners, caretaker of Blue Whale named to Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame

Vandalism at Blue Whale prompts security upgrades

The iconic Blue Whale in Catoosa, Oklahoma, soon will receive security improvements after vandalism occurred at the Route 66 landmark earlier last weekend. KOTV in Tulsa had some details about the damage: Volunteer Linda Hobbs remembers the phone call she got earlier this week saying someone vandalized the beloved Blue Whale Park. "Had pulled picnic … Continue reading Vandalism at Blue Whale prompts security upgrades

Blue Whale hosts pop-up sale of Snapchat’s Spectacles

The landmark Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, hosted a temporary kiosk Tuesday morning for Snapchat's new video-recording Spectacles, drawing dozens of technology buffs from all over the region. Linda Hobbs, an operator of the gift shop at the Route 66 site, told KOTV people began lining up early Tuesday for the sale, before daylight. Snapchat … Continue reading Blue Whale hosts pop-up sale of Snapchat’s Spectacles

Filmmaker needs music for Route 66 documentary

A New York-based filmmaker who's making a documentary, "The Revival," about the renaissance of Route 66 after it was decertified as a U.S. highway needs some music from Oklahomans to help her finish the film. Kaila Keller, who hails from Tulsa, centers much of the film around her hometown and Oklahoma, although footage on Route 66 … Continue reading Filmmaker needs music for Route 66 documentary

‘American Pickers’ filming on Route 66 in Oklahoma

Two of the cast members of the History Channel's "American Pickers" reality show spent part of last week filming on Route 66 in Oklahoma, according to an article in the Grand Lake News and one of the star's Instagram accounts. The newspaper said Danielle Colby and Mike Wolfe of "American Pickers" dined at Waylan's Ku … Continue reading ‘American Pickers’ filming on Route 66 in Oklahoma

‘The Blue Whale’ film will be made at its namesake

A former Tulsa-area resident is returning home this summer to shoot a movie titled "The Blue Whale" -- some of it at the Route 66 landmark by the same name in Catoosa, Oklahoma. According to the Tulsa World, Jonathan Rossetti, who now lives in Los Angeles, will helm the film, with actresses Emma Kenney of … Continue reading ‘The Blue Whale’ film will be made at its namesake

Maple sirup and blue whales

Since vacation, I'm getting caught up on KC Keefer's latest videos on his Genuine Route 66 Life series. One that I missed was an interview with Glaida Funk, matriarch of the historic Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup business on Route 66 in Funks Grove, Illinois. https://youtu.be/cFCctA-vUS4 The second is an interview with Linda Hobbs, a … Continue reading Maple sirup and blue whales

Blue Whale supporters want to light up giant mushrooms

Supporters of the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Okla., announced on the landmark's Facebook page they want to decorate the grounds' giant mushrooms with Christmas lights in a few weeks. And you can help. The supporters, also called Fins of the Blue Whale, already decorate the whale and the nearby Ark each year for the holidays. But … Continue reading Blue Whale supporters want to light up giant mushrooms