Oklahoma City

This stop proved very satisfying, as we spent a full day checking off not only things from 1000 Places to See Before You Die, but also my list of  Roadside Attractions along Route 66!  We set out for the longest stretch of the existing Mother Road, and saw first a huge cross, maybe a foil for the broadcast antennae for the Televised Church.  It can't compare to the multi ton monstrosity in Groom, Texas that we had seen in the past, but still pretty impressive!

Next stop, a newer addition to the road, was Pops, with a giant Pop bottle out front, thousands of bottles and flavors of Pop, as well as a filling station and cafe, which turned out to be very good for lunch!

A bit further up the road you encounter the Round Barn.  Now apparently there are many of these in different parts of the world, but I have certainly never seen one, and it is an icon along the route, and built in 1800's.  

 There was a yard where someone had replicated many of the icons from the Mother Road, but it was closed for the day, and looked rather run down, but had probably been pretty neat at one point.  It is said the builder, a retired engineer, had never even seen many of the things, but had recreated from photos.  Some people have their golf and trains......................

Then we headed to the city, passing  the fabulous Cowboy and Western Museum we had visited several years ago, and headed for Bricktown.  Like many of these downtown revitalization areas, I felt it had a way to go, but was attractive with all the red brick buildings, and it did have a lot of restaurants and music venues, so probably a great place for nightlife.  Adjacent to this area , a huge collection of bronze sculptures is still in the works, depicting the great Land Rush of 1889.  Larger than life, they were amazing to see!  

Also in Bricktown was the Banjo Museum, which is listed as a must see, and did not disappoint. 

Even if you are not an aficionado, the instruments are works of art, and the history and film was extremely interesting.  

The  Oklahoma City National Monument and Museum was erected  where the Federal Building was bombed  in 1995.  It was moving beyond my expectations to see the chairs representing those who died, to realize the extent of the damage, and to see the remembrances left.  

Walls on either side of the memorial read 901 and 903, the bomb having exploded at 902.  The reflecting pool fills the area where the road was that carried the truck to the building. 

9 rows of chairs for the 9 floors of the buildings

Small chairs for children, large for adults who perished.



I have to admit it took a few minutes to collect myself before heading to our next stop, the Art Museum.
Said to have the most extensive collection of Dale Chihuly glass on its third floor, apparently because he married a girl from Oklahoma City.  That alone was worth the visit, but a wonderful exhibit of photographer Britt was an added bonus.  Otherwise, a small but pleasant collection, with  one Georgia Okeefe.   Surprisingly, they allowed photos of the glass!

Final stop, and one that left us underwhelmed, was Stockyards City.  Clem really was not interested, but I insisted, since we were there, and also dangled the thought of Cattleman's Steak House, a legendary restaurant still in existence since 1910.  In addition to the stock yards, there were western wear stores with more denim than I have ever seen in my life, and plaid shirts and hats to match, but no interpretive information at all, rather than "world's largest."  And the restaurant was more than tired......not so "cute", as it might have been.....and the meal mediocre at best!  Fair steak, iceberg lettuce salad, plastic basket of rolls.....right out of 1950.  But check it off the list!