Jim Ross

Route 66 in Oklahoma (Images of America) Jim Ross

Oklahoma is where East and West collide on Route 66, where

the rolling hills that reach across its borders from Missouri and

Arkansas give way to red earth and Big Sky Country. It is a land of

agriculture, oil, and Native America. Route 66 stamped itself into the

landscape here in 1926, extending from the state's northeast corner

through Tulsa and Oklahoma City to the Texas Panhandle in the

west. It was Oklahoma Highway commissioner Cyrus Avery, now

known as the "Father of Route 66," who originally championed a major

route stretching from Chicago to Los Angeles. Today, its pathway

in Oklahoma is rich with small-town ambiance and landmarks,

including many of the route's most popular attractions. From the

magnificent Coleman Theatre in Miami to the Oklahoma Route 66

Museum in Clinton, the Mother Road across the Sooner State is an

explorer's feast.