When:  Monday October 19, 2020   
Where:  Route 66 (Miami to Sapulpa)
Bucket List:   Catoosa Whale (Catoosa, Oklahoma); Totem Pole Park (near Foyil, Oklahoma)

In the mid 1990s, Kasie had lived in Tulsa for a brief period of time.  Because we had already traveled to two of my former homes (Manhattan KS and Lawrence KS) this summer, I thought it would be fun to visit some place she had once lived.  Plus, we could spend a couple of days with her folks in Miami, Oklahoma (pronounced “My-AM-ah” by the locals) on the way down.

We took our time traveling from Miami to Tulsa, taking Route 66 instead of the interstate.  This was our first time taking the historical highway, and it was worth every minute.  Inspired by that dawdling, we also spent another morning a few days later traveling further south from Tulsa to Sapulpa on Route 66 to check out some other tourist attractions.

Going from northeast to the southwest, we made stops at:

Route 66 Original Highway Marker

o   Located between Miami and Afton, Oklahoma.  

o   This "Ribbon Road" (competed in 1922) is the only remaining 9-foot wide segment of what would later become part of Route 66  The Mother Road began construction a few years later in 1926.  For more information, check out this link. There isn’t much to see, but the landmark made me want to further read about and explore the highway.

Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park

o   Located near Foyil, Oklahoma. 

o   Built in the late 1940s, this unique park features 90-foot tall totem pole having a 30-foot wide turtle base.  For more information, check out Wikipedia link or NPS article.

Standing Brave Statue

o   Located at the Travel Plaza in Big Cabin, Oklahoma. 

o   Estimated to be about 50 feet tall, this statue was built by Wade Leslie from 2000-2001. There are reportedly 105 feathers in Standing Brave’s headdress, of which the largest is 5 feet long.  The Oklahoma state flag is integrated into Standing Brave’s shield.  For more information, check out this article.

Route 66 Tunnel

o   Located in Chelsea, Oklahoma

o   This pedestrian tunnel goes under Rule 66.  In 2016, a local artist Ken Hollingshead painted the mural, while the other side has been filled with space for Route 66 travelers to sign their names.

Catoosa Whale

o   Located in Catoosa, Oklahoma.

o   In the early 1970s, Hugh Davis built an 80-foot-long whale out of pipe and concrete in a little pond on their property.   The whale is still floating strong, but a nearby abandoned replica of Noah’s Ark built a few years later did not fair so well.   The property also featured about a dozen artistic domed metal mushrooms that once encircled a pond.  

o   As of this post, the Blue Whale Facebook page captures a lot of visitors and events happening at this attraction. There is a little visitors/shop area as well. 

Bronze Buffalo

o   Located at 1245 New Sapulpa Road in Sapulpa, Oklahoma (just between Route 66 and I-44)

o   This “Guardian of the Plains” was Sapulpa’s contribution to the 2007 Oklahoma Centennial.  It reportedly measures 8 feet long, five feet wide and 12 feet tall.   The concept was created by local Russell Crosby and the sculptor was Jim Gilmore of Alamosa, Colorado. 

Gulf Oil Station

o   Corner of Water and Hobson in Sapulpa (just a block from Route-66)

o   Worth a snapshot.

World's Tallest Gas Pump 

o   Located just south of Sapulpa

o   Built in 2018, this was commissioned by the adjacent Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum

This trip really inspired me to learn more about Route 66 and explore it in greater detail.  It would be cool start at the beginning in Chicago and travel all of the way to California.  I now have a “bucket list” goal of driving the entire Route 66 road in 66 days.   There is just so much to see and do!

If you want the route, check out the map below. Feel free to have a look!

Other Blogs in the Tulsa Series:

Route 66 In Tulsa -- Top Things to See

Craft Beer in Tulsa -- Rankings!

Camping and Biking in Tulsa -- With Maps