Must-See on Route 66
Lake Overholser Bridge
At its zenith, U.S. Highway 66, AKA Route 66 , AKA the ‘Mother Road,’ was a bustling, 2,400- mile highway stretching across two-thirds of the country, from the banks of Lake Michigan to the sunny Los Angeles shore of the Pacific Ocean. Here in Oklahoma City, it spans 51.5 miles and back in the day was also known as the Will Rogers Highway. It traverses five commercial districts and is dotted with about 200 signs, making it an easy drive to follow. The historic Tower Theatre opened in 1937 and is one of Oklahoma City’s last original movie houses with an intact auditorium and iconic neon marquee. After many years of movie premieres and historic runs of classic films, the Tower Theatre closed in 1989. In 2017, Tower Theatre returned as a live music, movie and event venue in the heart of OKC’s Uptown 23rd district. Built in 1924, the Lake Overholser Bridge boasted a unique design for the time, using the latest steel truss technology and combining a variety of trusses in unusual ways. The Overholser Bridge lost its official association with Route 66 in 1958 when a new highway section and wider bridge was built to the north, but its size and symmetry and long-time service as part of old Route 66 solidified it as a Mother Road landmark. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The Milk Bottle Grocery Building , at 2426 N. Classen Blvd. in Oklahoma City’s Asian District, is a Route 66 landmark. The little triangular building was constructed in the 1930s. You can’t miss the giant milk bottle on top, which was added in 1948. In 1998 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
For up-to-date information on Route 66 as it gears up for its centennial in 2026, head to VisitOKC.com/things-to-do/route-66/ for the latest events, attractions and hidden gems along Oklahoma City’s stretch of the Mother Road.
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