Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Old Stations, Whales, Cafe’s, DISNEY Cars, Baseball Legends, Wild Kingdom, Well Lots and MUCH MORE was experienced Today

Old Stations, Whales, Cafe’s, Cars, Baseball Legends, Wild Kingdom, Well Lots and MUCH MORE was experienced Today

October 16, 2019

Well, we traveled in three states during today journey on The Mother Road. 




We started in Chandler, OK and headed East on Old Rt 66 making a quick stop in Davenport, OK, where we took a few photos of a vintage Texaco Station. 




Continuing east bound, we stopped in Stroud, OK to see the Rock Cafe. The owner Dawn Walch is a long time supporter of Rt 66 and was the inspiration for “Sally Carrera” in the Movie Cars. Looked like a great place, but sadly it was closed. This seems to be the pattern for us on this trip.





Soon a big Blue Whale appears in a lake, so we must stop. Located in Catoosa, OK one finds this quirky roadside attraction. This was built in 1972 and then restored in 2002. It is a feature for a swimming hole where one can slide down slides or dive off the tail of this monster. The owner Hugh S. Davis’ wife collected whale figurines and as an anniversary gift he built her this whale. 




Three miles further down the road we found a curio shop/deli called The Nut House. Here they sell the basic curios as well as fudge, jams, coffee and other food items. They also have a small deli where you can get a sandwich to order. I found an American cheese with bacon which is very good, but anything with bacon is good.

In Claremore, OK we stop at the Will Rogers Memorial. He had purchased this property as a place to settle after his acting career played out. After his death in Alaska, he was buried in Forrest Lawn Cemetery. It was in 1944 his body was moved to this property.



Will Rogers was an American Original, a Cowboy, newspaper columnist, vaudeville and radio and film star, and aviator. He had a way of making American laugh as and take a look at ourselves. I feel many a truth said in jest was his way of doing just that. This trip reminds me of one of his quotes “But if you want to have a good time, I don’t care where you live, just load in your kids, and take some congenial friends, and just start out. You would be surprised what there is to see in this great Country within 200 miles of where any of us lives, I don’t care what State or Town.”

In Foyil, OK there is a statue of Andy Payne. WHO WAS ANDY PAYNE you ask. First, lets talk about the “Bunion Derby” a foot race across America, created by Lon Scott and promoted by Charles C. Pyle ( the P. T. Barnum of sports). 



The attention of America was captured by this event and it took place during the Jim Crow era, and it was racially integrated with five African Americans, a Jamaican from Canada, American Indians, Pacific Islanders and Latinos all participating.

On March 3, 1928, Andy Payne wore bib #43 and along with 275 other runners, started in Los Angles and set off running to New York City. Running in desert heat and freezing mountain tops it was 84 days later Andy Payne had covered 3,423.5 miles in 573 hours, 4 minutes and 34 seconds, with an average speed of 6 miles an hour, crossed the finish line in FIRST PLACE!!!!

His prize was $25,000, which he used to pay off the mortgage on the family farm. He then went on to be elected as the Clerk of the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

We then made a side trip to see Totem Pole Park.




In Miami (pronounced MY-Am-Uh), OK, we found the Coleman Theater. This is an elaborate venue built just before the depression. Elaborate is only one adjective one can use to describe this amazing theater. It opened in 1929 and was part of the Vaudeville circuit and saw the likes of Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Sally Rand, and the Three Stooges. The pictures do not do this wonderful venue justice, this is not to be missed.  







As we drive towards Commerce, OK, I am hoping for an ice cream cone at the Dairy King, where you can also get Rt 66 cookies. When we arrived we found it closed due to a funeral. Across the way is an old station named Conch Hole in the Wall. Here they cater to Aliens. We had plenty of time for photos as the High School band was marching down the street. Commerce is also the home of Mickey Mantel. 


Her comes the Band 
 



Baxter Springs, KS is a location where the Buffalo Soldiers were heavily involved with the resistance against Quantrill’s Raiders. Here is where the Buffalo Soldiers got their nick name for the local Indian Tribe who likened their hair to coarse hair of the American Bison.

The Route 66 Visitor Center in Baxter Springs, KS is a wealth of information. It is housed in a 1930’s cottage style station. 





Outside of Baxter Springs, KS is the Marsh Arch Bridge, it seems to go by several names. 



While the Mother Road is only 13 miles long in Kansas, there is plenty to see.

“Cars on the Route” is the home of Cars on the Route. This is where one finds “Tow Tater” the old wrecker from which “Tow Mater” is modeled. Just a bit down the road is a welcome center which is under construction. Here we met the President of the Kansas Route 66 Association who is developing this welcome center.








Next we head strait to our camp ground in Carthage, MO and get set up before going into the town of Carthage for fuel.

In Carthage we find the Boots Court Motel, nice but not the Blue Swallow. We also find the city park where there is a statue to native son, Marlin Perkins of Wild Kingdom fame.  






Heading back to our campground we passed the 66 Drive in Theater. 



It was a long day filled with many an interesting sights.




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