forums
new posts
donate
UER Store
events
location db
db map
search
members
faq
terms of service
privacy policy
register
login




UER Forum > Archived US: South > Oklahoma Route 66 Fall 2012 Trip - Part 2 - Vinita to Foyil (Viewed 326 times)
Flavortext03 






Send Private Message | Send Email
Oklahoma Route 66 Fall 2012 Trip - Part 2 - Vinita to Foyil
< on 11/30/2012 3:54 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Leaving Afton, we took a turn to the south and came to a point know as "Dead-Man's Curve". Back in the early days of Route 66 this was a nearly 90 degree curve. To add to the danger, there were also two farm roads that met at the curve. Several accidents occurred here from motorist underestimating the curve or not seeing it. "Dead-Mans Curve was finally rounded off in 1936. This was also the last section of Route 66 to be paved in Oklahoma. Once the curve was rounded, a road side park was established in the plot of land between the original alignment and the new rounded curve. I haven't been able to find any pictures of the road side park or what year it was established. I find that it had concrete picnic tables, barbecue pits, and a stone fountain. From other references, I saw that even as recent as a few years ago some relics of the tables and pits remain although there was no evidence of it on our trip. On the inside of the new rounded curve was a small service station. No mention of its story, pictures, or when it closed could be found during my research. Only that it was named the Lake Junction Station and was opened in 1936 when the curve was created. Based on the state of decay it has to have been closed for quite a while.

The original alignment in Red, Lake Junction Station as the Red dot, and the roadside park between the dot and Red line:


Remains of Lake Junction Station:

Larger Photo: http://lostroute66...1-8-2_filtered.jpg


Vinita

On the outskirts of Vinita lies a curious little service station. In 1940, Grace and George McDougal created an independent service station just east of Vinita along Route 66. It was independent in that it could carry any brand of gas it wanted. Because of that it, and other independent stations along Route 66, were the first to be affected when 1-44 was established. What makes it curious is that it exhibits a type of masonry veneer often referred to as giraffe stone, a patchwork of light and dark colored sandstone with dark colored mortar joints.

McDougal Filling Station:

Larger Photo: http://lostroute66...4-9-2_filtered.jpg

As we entered Vinita proper there was so much I wanted to stop and photograph. As with many places along the trip time was not on my side. We are planning a multi-week trip in the next few years to take the route from Chicago to LA.


Chelsea

The next town on the route was Chelsea. One of the first, and often overlooked, features is on an original alignment that was quickly bypassed. A beautiful Through Truss bridge that only saw Route 66 traffic from 1926 to 1932 when it was bypassed. A stone monument nearby read:

"The historical Pryor Creek Bridge was built in 1926 and carried U.S. Highway 66 traffic from 1926 to 1932, when a new alignment of Route 66 bypassed the bridge. The bridge is 123 feet in length with a total width of 19 feet. The design is modified Pratt Through Truss design. The contractor was E.G. Fike and Son. The Pryor Creek bridge is the only remaining unaltered example of the modified Pratt Through Truss design in the State of Oklahoma. Inscribed in the concrete on top of the Southwest abutment is "OKLA S.H.C 1926" which is a reference to the Okla. State Highway Commission. The Pryor Creek Bridge in Chelsea, Oklahoma was added to the National Register of Historic Places Sept 6, 2006. Marker donated by The Chelsea Area Historical Society"

Pryor Creek Bridge:

Larger Photo: http://lostroute66...-10-2_filtered.jpg

Here is map of Chelsea showing the pre 1932 route in Yellow and the post 1932 route in Red:



Foyil

A little further down the Route comes Foyil. This is yet another town that had a section of Route 66 bypassed. Although not "old" in relation to Route 66, one neat building is the Top Hat Diary Bar. Built in 1971, it featured 50's syling and a tasty burger from what I hear. It closed a few years back so I never got to experience it.

Top Hat Dairy Bar:

Larger Photo: http://lostroute66...-12-2_filtered.jpg

But Foyil's big claim to fame comes from The Transcontinental Footrace of 1928. Back then, the idea of a 3,400 mile race from Los Angeles to New York City was novel. Some 2,400 miles of the route was along then new Route 66, including the small town of Foyil. The event was the brain child of the Route 66 Association and a slick promoter, Charles C. Pyle. Much of the media didn't take the competition seriously and called it the "Bunion Race." On March 4, 1928, over 275 runners began the grueling odyssey including 20-year old Foyil native and Cherokee Indian, Andy Payne. Andy wanted the $25,000 first prize to save his family's farm and marry his girlfriend.

By the third day, over half the participants had dropped out. Through desert heat, torrential rains, and exhaustion, Andy Payne emerged as a contender against a Brit, Peter Gavuzzi, trading the lead back and forth for five weeks until Gavuzzi dropped out in Ohio complaining of a "bad tooth." Payne set a world record by completing the distance in 573 hours, 4 minutes, 34 seconds -- he averaged 6 miles an hour. He got his $25,000 dollars, returned to Oklahoma, and married his sweetheart.

A statue Of Andy Payne now sits along the original stretch of Route 66 through Foyil that was part of the Marathons path.

Larger Photo: http://lostroute66...-14-2_filtered.jpg

Here is a map of Foyil that shows both routes:



Part 3 will start with us leaving Foyil. Until next time.


Sources: http://www.ocgi.ok...ic.asp?id=04000521, http://route66news...they-name-it-that/, http://www.roadsid...ica.com/story/9055

Imbroglio 


Location: DFW
Gender: Male


The glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Send Private Message | Send Email | Noel Kerns Photography
Re: Oklahoma Route 66 Fall 2012 Trip - Part 2 - Vinita to Foyil
<Reply # 1 on 11/30/2012 5:01 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Very nice!

http://www.noelkernsphotography.com
chonkyfire9 


Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Gender: Male


Urban Exploration Vehicle

Send Private Message | Send Email | AIM Message
Re: Oklahoma Route 66 Fall 2012 Trip - Part 2 - Vinita to Foyil
<Reply # 2 on 12/1/2012 3:17 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Man, I can't believe this. This is my main area to explore where you guys were at. I have passed the Top Hat hundreds of times, and I can't believe there weren't any cars out front. It's always so busy I have never stopped. I am actually wanting to buy a house in Foyil. Just a couple miles down the road is the largest totem pole on Earth. You definitely missed out on that. There are tons of old foundations out that way. The next leg of this journey should include the Blue whale of Catoosa. Is this invite only, or would you allow someone with a little knowledge of the area to come along? Sure wish I could have been in on this.

P.S. Top Hat Dairy Bar is not closed, nor has it been. When did this trip occur?
[last edit 12/1/2012 3:23 PM by chonkyfire9 - edited 1 times]

I own you, don't I?
UER Forum > Archived US: South > Oklahoma Route 66 Fall 2012 Trip - Part 2 - Vinita to Foyil (Viewed 326 times)



All content and images copyright © 2002-2024 UER.CA and respective creators. Graphical Design by Crossfire.
To contact webmaster, or click to email with problems or other questions about this site: UER CONTACT
View Terms of Service | View Privacy Policy | Server colocation provided by Beanfield
This page was generated for you in 78 milliseconds. Since June 23, 2002, a total of 737030050 pages have been generated.