How a grant program is restoring Oklahoma’s opportunity along Route 66.
The spirit of America’s original Main Street, Route 66, still holds sway in Oklahoma. Over 400 miles of the route can be navigated throughout the state, securing Oklahoma’s claim to the longest drivable stretch of the iconic 2,448-mile Mother Road.
While this roadway no longer signifies the great shift of Oklahomans escaping the Dust Bowl or World War II migrations, it provides insight into the communities that have grown to reimagine life in Oklahoma. This reimagining hasn’t sought to erase the cultural remains of Route 66 but rather enhance historic preservation while delivering new economic opportunities.
Ahead of Route 66’s centennial in 2026, activity along the Oklahoma stretch has been intent on sharpening unique attractions, while inviting new ways to experience the highway’s legacy. Nearly three years ago, the Oklahoma Legislature moved to create an avenue for respective Route 66 communities to access funding for targeted revitalization and restoration projects.
That opportunity came in the form of the Oklahoma Route 66 Grant program, which would launch in December 2023. The initiative created a $6.6 million funding pool to be administered by the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission, selecting eligible projects that focus on placemaking, facility enhancement, preservation efforts, new construction, planning, research and signage, to name a few.
Photos courtesy of Oklahoma Tourism
The grant program’s inaugural round saw over $6.3 million distributed among 11 selected projects. The City of Chandler received $650,000 to establish McClanahan Park, paying homage to Route 66 artist, author and historian Jerry McClanahan, who cultivated the EZ66 Guidebook for travelers pursuing the route in 2005.
One of the largest grants at this time went to the City of Sapulpa, which was awarded $2 million to preserve the historic Rock Creek Bridge. The funding would additionally aid in developing the surrounding area to curate an aligned tourism experience in the region, supported by proximity to attractions like the TeePee Drive-In, the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum, the Indian Blanket Mural and a historic downtown district.
“Like many cities across Oklahoma and especially on Route 66, we are all under budget constraints,” Sapulpa City Manager Joan Riley said in reference to the grant in 2024. “Having the ability to leverage what we do have and use a grant to finish out and do it in a way that is the best it can be is invaluable.”
Through the revitalization grant, applicants can request between $25,000 to $2 million toward a project. The Oklahoma Route 66 Commission then evaluates each project by a graded rubric that assesses a potential project’s concept, impact, organizational support and overall budget.
In Rogers County, the City of Catoosa was awarded more than $1.8 million in the grant’s second round to revitalize the area around a well-known Route 66 landmark for the state, the Blue Whale of Catoosa (pictured opposite). To create new tourism opportunities an expansion looked to construct a new Visitors Center in its first phase, while later aiming to introduce new tourist attractions that emphasize nostalgia. That emphasis is precisely what the City of Stroud was after when receiving nearly $1 million to pursue the Stroud Historic Route 66 Business Neon Light Project. By early 2026, the city was able to restore or install 49 authentic gas-filled neon signs along 15 blocks of its Route 66 path.
Combining Old and New
The latest grant round placed support behind a project that will create Oklahoma’s first-ever musical road. It will introduce an experience that keeps travelers in tune with one of the greatest hits to come out of Oklahoma, “This Land is Your Land,” by Woody Guthrie.
The City of Tulsa was awarded $90,000 in grant funding to pursue the interactive roadbed segment, placing rumble strip along the city’s Southwest Boulevard Bridge to allow passengers driving across at 35 miles per hour to hear 12 seconds of the 1940s tune.
The initiative is part of a greater Route 66 Musical Roads network in line with the Federal Route 66 Centennial Commission’s official 100th anniversary projects, which seeks to establish a musical road in the eight Route 66 states. The song selection directly amplifies Woody Guthrie regional attractions such as the Woody Guthrie Center, Okemah’s seasonal WoodyFest and the “This Trail is Your Trail” pedestrian path next to the bridge.
“I want to thank the Oklahoma Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program, the Tulsa Route 66 Commission, and the many partners who helped us secure this award and continue to advance projects along the Mother Road,” Mayor Monroe Nichols said. “Their commitment has been vital to our Centennial preparations and to strengthening Tulsa’s role as a key destination on Route 66. This installation represents another important step forward in that work.”
The City of Tulsa was among the 11 awardees who received a combined $3.3 million in the fourth round. Two of the largest awards went to the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum ($1.8 million) and a partnership between the Tulsa Community Foundation and the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission ($1 million). While the iconic Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum will expand an additional 5,000 sq. ft. to welcome more vintage vehicles, artifacts and venue space, Tulsa and Oklahoma City geared up for centennial celebrations in May 2026.
From fresh art installations in Sayre, eye-catching road markers in Clinton, new community gathering spaces in El Reno to creating a symbolic attraction at a former oil rig in Elk City, each project supported by the Oklahoma Route 66 Grant Program seeks provide an immerse experience. To date, the program has distributed over $21.7 million in approved funding.
Beyond years of revitalization projects ahead of the Mother Road’s 100th anniversary, Oklahoma’s efforts are ensuring Route 66 nostalgia lasts for generations to come. Meanwhile, new waves of visitors from around the world who explore, dine and stay in the communities along those 400 miles are writing new chapters in the region’s rich history.
