On The Road to Rt. 66 - Kirkwood, MO to Tulsa, OK
/Day 2 along the Mother Road began with a stop at the Rt. 66 State Park in Eureka, Missouri. This 419 acre park along the Meramec River has several inviting trails, but we were more interested in the Visitor Center Museum, filled with Rt. 66 memorabilia!
The rolling hills of the Show Me State are quite scenic, varying from vast greenery to the many Rt. 66 roadside attractions.
In Springfield Missouri, we came across a giant paper cup! Actually, it’s part of the architecture of the building that housed the Solo Cup Company. This particular plant closed in 2011 - the building is still vacant.
Dale’s Barber Shop in Joplin, Missouri originated in 1929 as a Shamrock gas station; it was converted into a barber shop in 1962 until the owner retired in 2004.
As we approached the Kansas state line we stopped for a quick pic at the Hogs and Hot Rods Saloon. Back in the day, Kansas used to be a dry state, making this 1925 state line honkey tonk a popular destination!
Kansas has the shortest stretch of Rt. 66 of all the states - only 13 miles - but we found plenty to see! The Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store is a throwback to the general store days of yesteryear - complete with pink flamingos on the lawn!
The Rainbow Arch Bridge, built in 1926, is on the national Register of Historic Places, and you can still drive over it!
Entering Oklahoma, Rt. 66 takes us through Quapaw, once a booming mining town as depicted in one of the many Quapaw murals.
In Miami (pronounced my-am-uh, from the Native American tribe) we see the Coleman Theater. Built in 1929 in the Spanish Revival style, it was a vaudeville and movie palace. It remains open to this day.
After traveling over 425 miles today through 3 states, we’re ready to hit the hay in Tulsa OK! Tomorrow we’ll hit the half-way mark on the way to Amarillo TX!