Gettin' Our Kicks!

In October of 2009 we set out on an adventure with our friends Jim and Darla Waldrop from Laverne Oklahoma. They own a beautiful 1959 Ford Retractable. The weather was cool so the top stayed up this day.

Along for the day our friends Carl and Pat Collins from Woodward. Carl built his Ford truck himself and he's a crazy as the plum color! 

John and I took our 1958 Ford for the day on the road. 

Robert and Misty Burdette owned this pretty little red Ford at the time. They are also from Woodward. 

Our destination for the day was the Route 66 museum in Clinton Oklahoma. Old route 66 made its way from one end of Oklahoma to the other and Clinton is just about in the middle of the route. 

Our gang (minus me the picture taker) getting ready to explore the museum. 

 Memorabilia abounded in the museum like these old gas pumps and John spent a lot of time checking out the relics in the Garage!

This map on the wall shows the route from one end to the other.

The dust bowl days on Route 66 had a great story to tell. 

There was a mock diner inside and Jim, Darla and John were quick to grab a booth were the burgers were. Carl opted for the cake!

Misty checking out the menu at the diner!

remember the flying red horse? don't see many of these any more. 

my favorite display was this old juke box! Oh, the memories this brings!

all four FORDS parked in front of the museum.

Back inside Carl and Pat found a comfy seat in the back of a caddy! Not like when they were kids; Carl wants to nap instead of neck!

Jim took a short rest here. we found a lot of interesting things to see at this museum, everything was nicely arranged, clean and easy to get around. It was a fun time with good friends. 

Traveling Woods County

I have been traveling for Red Carpet Country selling ads for next years visitors guide. In my travels I have been to the Sod House, Aline, Ok. The changes they have made are really great so if you haven't been there in a while it is a good place for a day trip. They have added a lot of items to the building and have many more ideas to come.
Another place that I visited was Freedom, OK, their museum is really wonderful. See the historical bones that were found near Freedom, and other items that people have donated to them, things that made the trip in the run possibly. Some at least came in the covered wagons. It is another wonderful day trip.
Sorry, no pics for this trip, maybe the next great place that I visit I will be able to take some pics. There is a lot of great places to visit right here in Woods County or close by. You will be able to take your kids somewhere before school starts again and give them a little history while they enjoy it. Happy traveling.

Elk City Route 66 National Museum

We started out early Saturday from our home in Waynoka and met up with two couples in Woodward for breakfast. Then it was on south about 75 miles to Elk City. While we normally are focused on car show activities, we decided in advance of the road trip that we were going to drive the classics, but be spectators at the show and see what else was going on in Elk City.

We found the National Route 66 Museum Complex just blocks from the park where the car show was being held. After checking out all of the classics and watching the burn-out contest, we took a short rest under a shade tree before heading to the museum.

The museum complex is open to the public from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Since we now classify as seniors, admission was a mere $4 ($5 if you aren't old enough). Seemed like there were about a dozen different buildings on the grounds, some set up as store-front with big windows to see what was inside. Others allowed a full tour in welcome air conditioning. One of the most interesting was the Old Town Museum, a home purchased by the city in 1966 that was the beginning of the complex. http://www.theroadwanderer.net/66Oklahoma/elkcity.htm is the web site I found to get the best information.

We also enjoyed our visit to the Paul Jones Drug Store where old fashioned bottle pop and ice cream were a welcome treat. Oh, and did I mention the chain flush toilet? This was a fun step back in time and brought tears to our eyes as we watched some children stare in wonder!

Waynoka Station; It’s About Trains!

· April 30, 2009.
· Waynoka Oklahoma.
· Santa Fe Depot ribbon cutting.

I received an invitation to lunch (never turn down food!) and to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony in my home town. The historic Harvey House sits along the tracks of the main line of the Burlington/Northern/Santa Fe Railroad and next to it an old depot building.

Sandie Olson and friends who make up the local Historical Society have worked many years and successfully completed the restoration of the Harvey House. It now houses an El Charro restaurant on the main floor and a wonderful museum upstairs. But that’s not all! Across the street are a fully restored section house, a weigh station and a log cabin that was moved in from the country and reassembled. The first phase of restoration on the depot building is just finished, thus the reason for the party. Oklahoma’s Executive Director for Tourism & Recreation Hardy Watkins came to talk to us about tourism.

The best part of the event was the opportunity to tour the museum! Waynoka was a destination for famous early flight leaders such as Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart and you can almost feel their presence as you walk among early train and plane history in the museum. A scale model train makes its way past recognizable landmarks in one room. Another looks just like an original sleeping room for one of the hard working Harvey House Girls.

This is not your typical small town dusty museum filled with cast off old items. The Harvey House Museum is a class act; the guides really know the railroad history and are passionate about what they do. Carol King was our guide and was quick to point out all of the interesting details told on the walls. While this was not my first trip to the museum, it was the first in several years. Sometimes we forget what we have at home and while traveling is one of my biggest enjoyments, sharing what is in my backyard seems important too.

So if you ever get the opportunity to visit Waynoka, make the Harey House Museum Complex a "must see"!