Clinton

What a smashing museum. The minute I walked in the door we were met with memorabilia that is still fresh in my mind from family trips across country, including an old Phillips 66 gas pump. I saluted it for dad.

They had separate exhibits by decade. The station wagon all tricked out with family vacation paraphernalia (cooler, pillows, stuffed animals) almost brought tears to my eyes. They had a real example of the prefab diners that a franchisee could buy for $5000 that popped up all along the route in the '50s. They were about as big as a bathroom ... 5 stools. But they got the job done.

They had a special exhibit honoring the Oklahoma Highway Patrol which was brought into existence to watch over Route 66. We especially enjoyed the vintage video of the officer telling tales, for example about when he tucked his gun into his waistband and gut shot himself (and lived to tell the tale).

One old gent, barely getting around on a cane, passed by us in the museum. I got the impression he had pumped gas in his day as he looked lovingly at an old pump and said, "I used to have one of those."Les mer