Route 66 Station: Gateway to the Magic Empire
Status: Vision 2025 portion complete
Project Description:
The site commemorates components of Tulsa history including Route 66, oil, and transportation. The name was chosen to commemorate General John Pershing’s visit to the area and his reported statement that this area was the Gateway to the Magic Empire.
The site is under lease with the Route 66 Village, LLC for operations and additional improvements. The Red Fork Centennial Derrick is 154 feet tall and funded by an Oklahoma Centennial Commission grant and private funds.
Volunteers acquired and restored the Frisco 4500 Engine and Tender, the Murray Pullman car, the Weyerhauser Box and Tank cars, and the Frisco 1157 Caboose to historic accuracy. The Vision 2025 portion of this project was completed in July 2009. Installation of the Frisco 4500 was completed by BNSF Railway in June 2011. Private funds installed a Tulsa Route 66 shield and landscape photo opportunity within the circular entryway to the site, located at 3770 Southwest Blvd., in west Tulsa.