Founded in 1909, just two years after Oklahoma was granted statehood, Rogers State University is proud to serve the educational and professional needs of northeast Oklahoma residents. The former home of the Oklahoma Military Academy, the college has an extensive register of graduates who became great leaders, both in military and civilian life. RSU is also the proud home of the 2022 NCAA Division II softball champions.
Historic Route 66 runs right through the heart of Claremore. Shop, dine, and experience history on your journey down the Mother Road.
Discover the life and legacy of one of America’s most beloved humorists at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. Set atop a hill overlooking the city of Claremore, the museum honors the wit, wisdom and enduring impact of Will Rogers. Known as “Oklahoma’s favorite son,” Will Rogers’ career spanned from vaudeville performer and movie star to cowboy, columnist and radio commentator.
Inside the 16,652-square-foot limestone structure, visitors can explore 12 expansive galleries filled with personal artifacts, rare photographs, manuscripts and memorabilia that trace Rogers’ rise from a Cherokee ranch in Indian Territory to worldwide fame. The museum houses the world’s largest collection of Will Rogers memorabilia, as well as a 2,400-square-foot research library and archives preserving his complete body of work.
Original artwork by renowned artists such as Charles Russell, Jo Davidson, Charles Banks Wilson and Count Tamburini is included within the museum’s exhibits. Also within the Will Rogers Memorial Museum is a dedicated children’s area, gift shop and a theater showing classic Will Rogers films daily.
The museum is located on land originally purchased by Will Rogers as the site of his future retirement home. Following his untimely death in a 1935 plane crash, the property was donated by his family and became the site of the museum, which opened to the public in 1938. The grounds include the family tomb, inscribed with Rogers’ enduring words: “I never met a man I didn’t like.”
Located on the campus of Rogers State University, the Oklahoma Military Museum tells the story of the more than 10,000 cadets who attended the military academy from 1919 to 1971. Visitors can see a re-created typical cadet room and view artifacts and exhibits relevant to the school’s history.
Every gun enthusiast’s dream, the J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum displays the world’s largest privately owned gun collection, with more than 12,000 firearms and thousands of non-firearm artifacts.
In addition to featuring the city’s most notable former residents—including Helen Walton Robson, astronaut Stuart Roosa, singing legend Patti Page, Bunion Derby winner Andy Payne, and world-famous playwright Lynn Riggs—Claremore Museum of History showcases the original “surrey with the fringe on top” from the musical Oklahoma!
The Talala Historical Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Talala and its residents.
What started as an accident is now one of northeastern Oklahoma’s most memorable and fun photo ops. In 1959, a cement mixer wrecked, leaving behind a heavy load of dry cement. Over the years, artists and local citizens have painted the mixer many times. In 2011, it was redesigned into a space capsule with the NASA logo, rocket thrusters and shiny aluminum paint.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Bank of Oologah was built before statehood in 1906. The building was restored in 1985 and the bank still houses some original artifacts. Guided tours are available and originate from the Oologah Historical Museum across the street.
Experience a unique glimpse into the life of world-famous vaudeville performer, actor, Cherokee cowboy and American humorist Will Rogers (1879-1935) at the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, which features Rogers’s original home and a 162-acre working ranch where visitors can enjoy lovely views of Oologah Lake and have a picnic with friends and family.
The log-walled, two-story home where Rogers was born was built in 1875 within the Cooweescoowee district of Cherokee Nation. It was designed in the Greek Revival architectural style that was popular throughout the South at this time. In fact, a house almost identical to Rogers’s boyhood home can be found on the outskirts of Guntersville, Alabama. The Oologah home, nicknamed “The White House on the Verdigris,” is a rare surviving example of buildings on the former Indian Territory frontier.
Rogers’s mother and father were Cherokees, and Rogers was proud of his heritage. During vaudeville performances, Will often joked, “My ancestors didn’t come over from the Mayflower, but they met the boat.” His mother, Mary America Rogers, was born into the Paint clan. His father, Clement Vann Rogers, was a Cherokee statesman and judge who would later help draft the constitution for the state of Oklahoma.
Will Rogers grew up on his father’s ranch, which at its height was nearly 60,000 acres. There, he learned his love of cowboying from the ranch hands, including roping from Cherokee freedman Dan Walker. He rode the range and joined the long, dusty cattle drives from Texas to the Kansas railheads. His physical prowess in precisely and expertly flipping heavy rope coils demonstrated his training, fitness, and strength. Using that same deft touch with a lasso, Rogers created a top vaudeville and cinema persona, “The Cherokee Kid.” From 1899 to 1902, after his father had moved into Claremore, Will Rogers operated the ranch himself, renaming it the Dog Iron Ranch after his cattle brand.
Today, the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch features a historically accurate barn with a climate-controlled classroom and a historical video program. The working ranch is home to Texas Longhorn cattle and other livestock.
Take a step back in time and visit this original Route 66 service station. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this Mother Road icon is being refurbished to its former glory. Guests are invited to stop and take a picture of this historic landmark.
Your Route 66 trip isn’t complete without a stop at the World’s Largest Totem Pole. You literally can’t miss it, as it stands 90 feet tall and is made of red sandstone, steel, wood, and concrete. Artist and veteran Ed Galloway spent his retirement building a unique park and, in 1999, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Nearby is a “Fiddle House” displaying Galloway’s handcrafted fiddles and other inlaid wood artifacts. Roadside tables supported by small concrete totems provide travelers with the perfect spot for a picnic.
In 1928, Foyil native Andy Payne won the Great Transcontinental Footrace, a 3,400-mile race from Los Angeles to New York City that followed much of the path of then-new Route 66. A member of the Cherokee Nation, Payne returned to Oklahoma where he later served for decades as clerk of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Foyil honors him with a statue just east of historic Route 66 on the south side of town.
Come enjoy an incredible view of the barges traveling the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. Located off Highway 412 in Inola, the center features two stories of interactive displays, including an ever-expanding selection of new technology like augmented reality, virtual reality, 360 experiences, and interpretive panels. The facility also offers guests a free picnic area and on-site restrooms.
Come discover how cars have changed over time through an impressive collection of 19 well-preserved vehicles designed between 1917 and 1953. The museum features gas memorabilia from the time of service stations, including 145 gas pump globes, eight gas pumps, gas signs, oil cans, cookie jars, calendars, and more.
Located on the National Register of Historic Places, Chelsea’s Hogue House, built in 1912, was the first Sears & Roebuck home to be constructed in Oklahoma.
Part of the original Route 66 alignment, the historic 123-foot Pryor Creek Bridge is the only unaltered “pratt through truss” bridge left in Oklahoma today. The Pryor Creek Bridge was built in 1926. Travelers along the Mother Road drove along this bridge from 1926 to 1932, when a new alignment of Route 66 bypassed the bridge. Visitors can walk or drive along this incredible piece of Oklahoma and Route 66 history.
Discover more Route 66 attractions in Rogers County.
Take a trip under Route 66! Walk through one of the only open underpasses on the Oklahoma stretch of the Mother Road while taking in bits of Route 66 and Chelsea history. A mural pays tribute to historical elements of Chelsea, from a 1930s gas station to the Hogue House, and guests are invited to sign the mural to document their visit.
Paying homage to the railroad’s significant role in Catoosa’s history, the Catoosa Historical Museum is found in the old train depot. The many displays will transport visitors back to the community’s early days, and include items such as an 1897 train depot log book and a Farmers and Merchants Bank check dated 1907.
The Blue Whale of Catoosa is a well-known Route 66 attraction that holds a special place in Oklahoma’s roadside history. Created by zoologist Hugh S. Davis as a gift for his grandchildren, the whimsical structure began as a simple idea for a swimming spot and evolved into an 80-foot-long, 20-foot-tall concrete whale. Davis, along with his friend Harold Thomas, spent two years constructing the whale by hand, mixing cement in five-gallon buckets and welding the metal frame themselves. When it opened in July 1972, the Blue Whale quickly became a popular destination for swimming, fishing and family gatherings.
Though swimming is no longer allowed today, the site still welcomes visitors looking to enjoy a picnic, fish from the banks or feed the resident turtles. Restroom facilities are available on-site. Owned and maintained by the City of Catoosa, the park is slated for expansion with a new Route 66 welcome center. This charming roadside stop has been a favorite among families for decades and remains a memorable highlight for Route 66 travelers.
Spanning two buildings, the D.W. Correll Museum offers something for everyone. Guests can explore antique automobiles and other items of general interest and history, such as an antique Texaco gas pump. The second facility houses an extensive collection of rocks, gems, minerals, and seashells from around the world, along with highlights from the construction of the Tulsa ports.
Home to hundreds of antique vendors, eateries, coffee shops, bars, and specialty shops, The Lilac District in downtown Claremore is a favorite stop for residents and visitors.
A restored 1907 Victorian-era mansion listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the Belvidere Mansion is open for self-guided tours, gift shopping and special events. Do not forget to plan your visit to include lunch at the Belvidere’s restaurant, The Pink House.
