Jesse Steen

Golden Driller: The Great Tulsan Statue 

Rising high above the Tulsa skyline, the Golden Driller remains one of Oklahoma’s most iconic landmarks and one of the tallest statues in the United States. Standing 76 feet tall at Expo Square, it immediately captures the attention of passersby while representing the resilience and determination that shaped a city built on the oil industry. With one hand gripping an oil…

Cyrus Avery: The Visionary Behind America’s Mother Road 

Before Route 66 became America’s most iconic highway, it began as nothing more than an idea – one that required vision, determination, and someone willing to bring it to life. That person was Cyrus Stevens Avery, a Tulsa businessman and public servant whose efforts helped shape not just a roadway, but a lasting piece of American identity. Known today as…

Pops 66: A Modern Landmark on America’s Mother Road 

One of the best-known roadside sights in Oklahoma is Pops 66 in Arcadia, rising above the grassland along historic Route 66.   A quick search for “Route 66 Oklahoma” proves it. Pops is consistently one of the first images that appears, cementing its status as a modern icon of the Mother Road.   The Restaurant has grown quickly in popularity as…