Route 66: Insights from the Frontlines of Tourism – A Conversation with Tulsa’s Visitors Center  

Tourism is a budding industry in Tulsa. After being officially named the Capital of Route 66 on July 1, 2024, an influx of both national and international tourists has been seeking to experience what Tulsa has to offer.   In an interview with the Visitors Center’s Kenny Smith and Jonathan Huskey, TCC Connection explores the dynamics…

Route 66 Historical Village Preserves Tulsa’s Legacy in the Petroleum and Transportation Industries

Located at 3770 Southwest Blvd., a series of life-sized historical monuments offers a memorable and immersive experience. What started as a simple idea, backed by the collective efforts of the Southwest Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, has become a renowned attraction to both national and international tourists. The Route 66 Historical Village, as we now know it, presents…

Reporter’s Notebook: Chaika Hotel Preserves History of the Early Days of Cosmonautics in Kazakhstan   

Kazakhstan, a republic of the former Soviet Union, became a cradle of world cosmonautics in the 1960s. Cosmodrome “Baikonur,” a Soviet spaceport, opened there in 1955. All Soviet space missions of the 1960s -1980s had a beginning at “Baikonur.”    Yuri Gagarin, the first male-astronaut in the world, completed his legendary flight into outer space on…

Skiatook Celebrates 75th Anniversary of Pioneer Day Festivities

Each year, residents of many small towns and cities around the state look forward to their Founder’s Day celebrations, and the residents of Skiatook, Okla., are no exception.  Every September brings with it the annual Pioneer Day Carnival, Parade, and Rodeo, commemorating the “pioneer origins” of the town, just 20 minutes north of Tulsa. The…

Reporter’s Notebook: Tulsa Meadow Gold District Merchant Preserves History, Offers Custom-made Route 66 Souvenirs  

A Tulsa entrepreneur, Mary Beth Babcock, opened three stores on well-known Route 66 in Tulsa, Okla., as a homage to the famed highway. These are Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on 66 (1347 E. 11th St.), Meadow Gold Mack’s Outpost (1306 E. 11th St., Unit A), and Buck’s Vintage on 66 (1024 S. Quincy Ave.) located…