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.
Sitting atop a beautiful hillside overlooking Claremore is a world-class museum complete with stories, artifacts, and films chronicling the life and times of the inimitable Will Rogers, one of our favorite cowboys and Hollywood legends.
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, this historic 123-foot bridge is the only unaltered bridge left in Oklahoma today. While it is no longer drivable, visitors can walk along this incredible piece of Oklahoma and Route 66 history.
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.
Catoosa is home to one of the more unique and recognizable Route 66 attractions. Conceived by Hugh S. Davis, a zoologist and family man, the Blue Whale was created as a special place where his grandchildren could play and swim. The whale took Davis two years to construct, welding the metal framework and applying hand-mixed cement. Since its completion in 1972, the Blue Whale has attracted visitors from around the globe.
Today, it remains a popular tourist destination and photo hotspot. Guests are encouraged to pack a picnic lunch and head to the Blue Whale for a fun-filled day of fishing.
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.
