by Jon Sonderman (Author), Jim Ross (Author)
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.