It was the Cadillac of Conoco gas stations, beautifully designed in the Art Deco style and completed in 1936. It seemed more like a glamorous nightclub rather than a stop for petrol. Today, the City of Shamrock owns the well-maintained building, using it as a visitor center and the Shamrock Chamber of Commerce. To get there, take the I-40 to N Main St. and go south. Drive a short distance and the station will be on your left-hand side.
Enjoy a very authentic glimpse into the period of time when Route 66 enjoyed its place as the most important route from the west. An old schoolhouse, chapel, and train caboose, the largest Route 66 sign ever, and beautiful grounds create a worthwhile experience for people traveling this way. This open-air museum will be enjoyed by people of all ages.
The historic but defunct Route 66 is memorialized in great detail at this small museum. Pictures, artifacts, and stories bring back an era where big-band music was the rage. But it wasn't all kicks - there was a lot of despair too. Folks escaping the Dust Bowl and ruined crops, fleeing desperation and hoping for a new life in the unforgiving fields of California, are once again alive here. Old automobiles, gas pumps, and even a '50s diner are displayed.
Right off the interstate this Route 66 landmark is a great place to learn some history while stretching your legs. Lucille Hamons owned and operated this gas station from 1941 until her death in 2000. Unlike many closed down businesses on Route 66 this one has been restored and is kept in pristine condition.
Before the Europeans settled in Oklahoma, this state park was home to the Plains Indians such as the Comanche and Lakota. Today, it is a family-friendly place with a playground, fishing pond, campsites, and hiking trails. More intrepid visitors can rappel down the canyon which was once a rest-stop along the California Road - where westward travelers would replenish their stores and repair their wagons. Their discarded wagon parts can still be seen in the canyon.
Get your Native American-themed apparel, moccasins, and hand-beaded jewelry here. There are also some great photo opps with life-sized buffalo and an Indian Muffler Man. Vintage farm equipment, cool artwork, and modest prices complete the list of reasons why you should stop here. It's also easy to get to - near I-40 and Route 66.
An immersive, interactive museum has plenty of nooks and crannies for kids and adults to explore. Start your experience by finding your way through a giant ear canal to enter the exhibit hall. After creeping down a hall that seems to have amoeba-covered walls visit the disco den and the flamingo den. Crawl through what seems to be a pink air duct and emerge to see a cotton-candy colored heaven. Have a video phone chat in a booth that connects to a sister museum in New Mexico.
This state capitol was built in 1919 in the style of the nation's capitol just like many other U.S. state capitols. It was built with domestic materials such as Indiana limestone and Oklahoma pink and black granite. Amazingly, the dome was always in the plans for the original building but wasn't finished until 2002. This capitol is the only one in the nation that has active oil rigs on its site.
The soda bottle with the inserted straw, stands 66 feet tall and looks suspiciously like Mountain Dew. No need to worry - it's not glass; the shape is constructed from numerous yellow steel rings on which LED lights are attached. Inside the mini mart for which it advertises, is a museum-style collection of soda bottles of every brand, every flavor - lining the windows in a surprisingly charming fashion.
This Route 66 historic attraction was built by William Harrison Odor in 1898. He designed and shaped the dome himself from softened timber. Today the barn is an important local landmark but it is also a great rest stop for drivers on a long road trip. It's usually open seven days a week, from 10 AM to 5 PM but call ahead for current operating hours.
The World's Tallest Gas Pump is also an observation deck. Built as a giant replica of a 1920s pump it was finished in 2017. The height is a fitting 66 feet with an oversized Route 66 sign perched on top. This tall gas pump and observation deck stands tall in front of the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum.
A gift to his wife who loved whales, this mammoth mammal was built by Hugh Davis. He was purposefully set in a large pond with a slide jutting out from his side and a diving board affixed to his posterior - thus quickly becoming a local favorite among the young locals. He was the first in a series of structures that Davis built for his little homegrown amusement park which sadly closed in the 1980s as his health was failing. Funded by donations, the Blue Whale was restored and lives once again.
Ed Galloway was a true artist, self-taught but passionate. He created tall, magnificent totem poles from scratch, a sandstone and metal skeleton covered in concrete and painted by hand. His masterpiece, simply titled the Totem Pole, is the world's largest made of concrete at 60 feet tall and 30 feet in diameter. Also on the grounds is the Fiddle House containing Galloway's other works of art and his fiddle collection.
Allen's Conoco Fillin' Station: A 1920s filling station was built for passengers traveling on the newly paved Route 66. Today it is known as the "Hole in the Wall" Conoco Station, a Hansel and Gretel-style cottage built right into a brick wall. It has been repurposed as a gift shop making it a perfect stop to stretch your legs and buy some souvenirs.