Last Sunday, we had our quarterly Board Meeting of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association where we said "Thank You" to Blaine Davis, who is stepping off of the board after more than seventeen years of service. That was in Vinita, Oklahoma; I raced back to Tulsa to board a flight to New Orleans, where I … Continue reading Conference Hopping
Historic Route 66 hasn't always taken the same path across the country. Many areas have multiple alignments to choose from.
Buying myself something close to Christmas is a foolish endeavor, but sometimes I come across an item that I just gotta have...
More than seven years ago, I was wandering my Uncle Andy's property in Barnsdall with my mother when I came across an old restaurant sign. It piqued my curiosity, as I'd always had a fascination with brands and logos, but my aunt and uncle didn't have a lot of information about it aside from the … Continue reading A White Knight Comes Home
An old family photo leads to a little-known piece of Tulsa history
The Jefferson Highway was one of America's earliest highway systems. It connected New Orleans Louisiana to Winnipeg, Canada about a decade before the federal numbered highway system was created. Over time, it was supplanted by other highways (much like Route 66) but it still enjoys enthusiasm from dedicated fans and communities that take pride in … Continue reading Okay No Longer
In 1927, the town of Red Fork on Tulsa's southwest side was incorporated into the city. It's where Tulsa County's first oil discovery was made (Sue Bland Well No. 1) and is still home to a large, active rail yard. There were several communities in what is now Southwest Tulsa, actually; all still home to … Continue reading Tulsa’s Crystal City
For decades, the giant Skateland neon sign stood near the corner of 11th and Sheridan in Tulsa. The roller rink there just off Route 66 was a Tulsa mainstay for decades. Ed and Wanda Enlow, who had been teaching skating at the Continental Roller Rink near 11th and Peoria, opened the family skating rink on … Continue reading Saving Skateland’s Neon
Recently, Samantha and I traveled up to New York state to see her family. It had been over a year since we'd seen them and it felt good to get out of town for a while. We had a lovely time - we didn't go down into the City due to the curtain of COVID's … Continue reading Terni’s of Millerton
In February of 2015, a terrible fire ravaged downtown Barnsdall, Oklahoma. It wasn't the first time - many buildings in town have been lost to fire over the years, actually - but this one had a very specific family connection. My great-aunt Estelle ran a beauty parlor in town for most of her life. Her … Continue reading The Barnsdall Letterpresses
Rhys' Pieces 