Since I skipped part of Route 66 by taking back roads from Stroud to Tulsa, I decided to follow Route 66 back to Stroud from Tulsa.
First stop was Route 66 Historical Village, a popular roadside attraction and open-air museum on Tulsa's southwest side. The museum is located on the site of Tulsa's first major oil strike in 1901, which helped earn the city the nickname "Oil Capital of the World," and is dedicated to Tulsa's role in the history of oil, rail, and Route 66. And, it is free to the public. A replica 1920s Phillips 66 gas station serves as a visitor center.
The 154-foot-tall Red Fork Centennial Derrick was designed, engineered, and fabricated from photographs of an early rig in the Glenn Pool Oil Field, the tallest derrick in North America at the time.
The steam-powered Meteor/Frisco 4500 locomotive provided passenger service between Oklahoma City and St. Louis via Tulsa until early 1948, when it was demoted to freight service and then retired in 1950. It is parked in front of the Red Fork Depot (now a museum), along with a Pullman passenger car, an oil tank car, and a caboose. There are also several other transportation-related items on display.
A bronze Buffalo, "Guardian of the Plains," stands atop a small hill at the outskirts of Sapulpa (population 21,929) and is one of the most recognizable roadside landmarks along Route 66. It is 12 feet tall, 18 feet long, weighs 6,000 pounds, and is twice the size of a typical buffalo. The American bison is Oklahoma's state animal.
Sapulpa is often called the "Crossroads of America" because of its historic role as a major transportation hub for commerce in the early 20th century. Multiple major rail lines intersect here, making it a key shipping and travel hub for oil, agricultural goods, and passengers. At first, passengers arrived by train, but later on, by Route 66, one of the most famous highways in America.
Vintage Route 66 Market is a large antique market with over 70 vendor booths. Nearby is the Sapulpa Historical Museum, which is housed in a historic 1910 building that originally served as the Lee Hotel, later as the YWCA, and is now a museum.
The Waite Phillips-Barnsdall Filling Station Museum is a restored 1920s filling station with vintage gas pumps, cars, and automotive-related exhibits. Unfortunately, it was closed the day I visited. However, in the same area of town, there was a nice mural and some historic buildings, with a sign painter's old car parked in front.
A 66-foot-tall replica gas pump sits outside the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum. The gas pump is the tallest in the world, but it does not dispense gas - it is a Tesla Station for charging electric vehicles!
For people interested in railroad history, the restored 1923 Frisco (SLSF) railroad depot in Bristow (population 4,248) contains an amazing collection of railroad artifacts and exhibits. Western star Gene Autry worked here as a telegraph operator before moving to California and becoming a famous western hero. The telegraph he used is on display in the museum.
Located in downtown Bristow is a Chrysler-Plymouth neon sign built in 1949 and over 100 feet tall, making it one of the tallest freestanding signs on Route 66. After the dealership closed in the 1950s, the sign went dark and stood as a rusting landmark for decades. However, the tower recently received $1 million in restoration grants, and the sign is currently being restored with new neon, structural repairs, and repainting. The work is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
Located across from the sign was a 1955 Chevy like the one our family owned, only ours had a V-8 engine.
The Sooner Pecan Company is a popular stop for travelers exploring Route 66 as it passes through Bristow. Sooner's sells locally grown pecans and pecan-based products like oils, chocolates, jams, and gift baskets. During the tourist season, there is a small counter that serves coffee and hot chocolate. I was not there during the tourist season, but I stopped and met the owner who was working in the adjacent building. He was really an interesting person to visit with, and he opened the Sooner shop so I could look around.
Mainer Ford is a family-run business in Bristow that sells cars and Ford tractors. I did not realize that Ford still manufactured tractors. I think this business is for sale if anyone is interested in moving to Bristow.
Sometimes tour books that list activities by town do not provide very detailed descriptions of activities in the area, so I did not know what to expect at the Route 66 Biker Rally in Depew (population 441). It turns out this is a campground meeting place for bikers, located behind some old military vehicles. The annual motorcycle rally, known as one of the wilder biker gatherings in the region, has a "very relaxed, anything-goes biker culture (with basic rules)." Published literature states this is an Adult-Only event (strictly 21+) with certain shows and entertainment not appropriate for families. I did not visit the campground; I just took some pictures from the road.
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