As you leave Claremore heading to Catoosa and Tulsa along the Route 66, you will soon pass over what was once the site of  two huge steel truss bridges that cross the Verdigris River. Both bridges, once dubbed "Felix" and "Oscar" by locals, served original Route 66 travelers but were built more than 20 years apart. The first bridge, which later became the westbound bridge, was built in 1936, but as travel increased, an additional overpass was constructed in 1957, which now serves eastbound traffic.

This pair of mismatched bridges became a photo op for Route 66 travelers for many years. But in August 2011 the State of Oklahoma was forced to remove and replace the 1936 bridge due to its state of disrepair. This controversial move resulted in the Oklahoma Department of Transportation entering into an agreement with the state's Historical Society to produce a documentary about the 1936 "Bird Creek Bridge," repaint the 1957 bridge by 2015, and formulate a still-pending maintenance plan for Oklahoma's surviving Route 66 bridges.

Bridges over the Verdigris River, Dave Alexander,  June, 2004. This image available for photographic prints  and downloads HERE!

Large pieces of the 1936 bridge now can be found guiding the entrance to the nearby Molly's Landing restaurant, just west of the old bridge site. Other large pieces of the bridge also can be found at Rogers Point Park, on the east side of the river near the bridge site.

Just beyond the bridges you will come to the site of Catoosa's famous Blue Whale; an absolute must stop for Route 66 travelers.

One of the most recognizable icons on Route 66, the attraction was built by Hugh Davis in the early 1970s as an anniversary gift to his wife Zelta, who collected whale figurines. Hugh and Zelta had over 40 years of zoological experience when Hugh built the 80 foot long grinning Blue Whale.

Hugh, who had retired by that time, owned the land on which the attraction was built and surprised Zelta with the massive project for which she had no idea. Originally, the pond surrounding the massive Blue Whale was spring fed and intended only for family use. However, as many locals began to sneak in to enjoy its cool waters, Davis brought in tons of sand, built picnic tables, hired life guards, and opened his masterpiece to the public.

Originally called Nature’s Acres, Hugh continued to build the attraction until it eventually included The Fun and Swim Blue Whale and the A.R.K. (Animal Reptile Kingdom). The attraction also featured Hugh’s brother-in-law, Indian Chief Wolf Robe Hunt, a full blooded Acoma Indian, who was famous, in his own right, for his Indian paintings and as a highly skilled silversmith. Chief Wolf-Robe Hunt once ran the Arrowood Trading post across the highway from the Blue Whale attraction.

In no time at all, its pond, giant Blue Whale, and zoo, housed in a wooden ark, attracted both locals and travelers alike. Children flocked to slide down the tail of the large Blue Whale into the cool waters of the pond, as families enjoyed the picnic tables, concessions, and boats provided at Nature’s Acres.

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