I-40 and Oklahoma

• Elk City
• Oklahoma City
• Sallisaw

Elk City

Visitors' Center - From I-40 eastbound take exit 41 and drive up to I-40 Business (also 'Route 66" and TX-34). Turn left and the Elk City Chamber of Commerce is at 1016 Airport Blvd.
  From I-40 westbound take exit 41 and follow the off-ramp straight through to I-40 Business (also 'Route 66" and TX-34). The Elk City Chamber of Commerce is at 1016 Airport Blvd.
  For more information phone 1-800-280-0207 (toll free).

National Route 66 Museum - This museum focuses on the people who lived, worked and traveled "The Road" and offers visitors a classic walk through all eight states, highlighted by realistic murals and vignettes feature vintage automobiles.
  Open Monday thru Saturday from 9a to 5p; Sundays 2p to 5p. Closed major holidays. Admission: $5 for entire complex for adults; $4 for students. $3 for just the Route 66 museum.
  For more information phone 1-580-225-6266 or view their web page at: Rte66Museum.
  For directions, see below.

Old Town Museum - This museum features the art and architecture which help us understand and appreciate the folk history of Oklahomans.
  Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9a to 5p; Sundays 2p to 5p. Closed major holidays. Admission: $5 for entire complex for adults; $4 for students. $2.50 for just the Old Town Museum.
  For more information phone 1-580-225-2207. Sorry, they no longer have a web page.
  For directions, see below.

Farm and Ranch Museum - This museum features a broad collection of early farm tools and artifacts which were a vital part of pioneer ranch life.
  Winter Hours (Labor Day thru Memorial Day): Monday thru Saturday 9a to 5p; Sundays 1p to 5p. Closed major holidays. Admission: $5 for entire complex for adults; $4 for students. $3 for just the Farm and Ranch Museum.
  For more information phone 1-580-225-6266.

Directions to the museum complex:
  These three museums are located together in a 'complex' on the north side of old Hwy 66 between Western Drive (on the west side) and Pioneer Road (on the east side).
  If on I-40 eastbound, take exit 32 and follow along Old Highway 66 to the museum complex (about 5 miles).
  If on I-40 westbound, take exit 41 and follow along Old Highway 66 to the museum complex (about 4.8 miles).

Oklahoma City

Visitors' Center - From I-40 eastbound, take exit 150-B and turn left on Robinson Ave. Drive to Sheridan Avenue (3 blocks from the north side of I-40) and turn right. The Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau is at 189 W, Sheridan Avenue.
  From I-40 westbound, take exit 150-C and follow the frontage road to Broadway. Right after you cross Broadway there is a split to the right; take this and then turn right on Robinson Ave. Drive to Sheridan Avenue (3 blocks from the north side of I-40) and turn right. The Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau is at 189 W, Sheridan Avenue.
  For more information phone 1-800-225-5652 (toll free). Web site: OKCVB.

Myriad Botanical Gardens - A special, and unique, attraction awaits you in this 17 acre, beautifully landscaped garden. It is called the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. What it is... well imagine a huge glass tube laying on its side about 35 yards in diameter and at least a hundred yards long. Like a bridge, it spans a large garden plus a 2-acre lake. Within this 'tube', in a controlled environment, are over 1,000 exotic tropical plants from all over the world. The interior of this 'tube' is divided into to environments. The side facing the gift shop (south end) is adjusted to emulate a warm, humid rain forest such as you would encounter in the Amazon River basin. The north end is more dynamic. It alternates from a wet, monsoon-type climate (in the summer months) to the dry environment these areas experience during the remainder of the year.
  Open 9a to 6p Monday through Saturday; Noon to 6p Sunday. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days. Admission: $5; $3.50 students 13 to 18 (with I.D.); $2.50 kids 4 to 12.
  Note: The outdoor area is open dail from 6a to 11p. No admission charge.
  For more information phone 1-405-297-3995 or visit their web site: MyriadGardens.
  From I-40 eastbound, take exit 150-B and turn left on Robinson Ave. Drive to Reno Avenue (2nd street on the north side of I-40) and turn left. You'll see the park on your right (301 W. Reno).
  From I-40 westbound, take exit 150-C and follow the frontage road to Broadway. Right after you cross Broadway there is a split to the right; take this and then turn right on Robinson Ave. Drive to Reno Avenue (2nd street on the north side of I-40) and turn left. You'll see the park on your right (301 W. Reno).
  Note: The Gardens are just one block south of the visitors' center. If you found a good parking place there

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Oklahoma City - continued:

National Cowboy Museum - Here's just the place for kids of all ages. For the younger set they have created a special 'Cowboy Corral' which a building designed for kids. Here the youngster can dress up in real western gear, mount a kid-sized saddle. This is a great place for the young, and not-as-young, to learn a few things about the how cowboys worked - and lived (because they didn't work all the time).
  Also on the premises is a complete western town named Prosperity Junction. Here you can really get the feeling of what you've watched so many times in those old 'B' movies.
  A Western Performers Gallery explores the role fiction has played in our perception of the American West. Movies, TV, ' Wild West' shows and countless Western novels have all helped create a mythical 'West'.
  Here, folks can also see the famous personages who played significant roles in the movies and on TV. Many exhibit cases display memorabilia from the collections of many of these 'heroes' (e.g., John Wayne).
  Hours: From June through August, inclusive, 8:30a to 6p. From September through May May 9a to 5p. Open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days. Admission: $8.50; $4 kids 6 to 12. 
  For more information phone 1-405-478-2250 or visit their web site: CowboyMuseum.
  From I-40, get on I-35 northbound at exit 128 and drive north to I-44 at exit 133. Get on I-44 and take the first exit (exit 129). Drive right across the first intersection (M L King Ave) to1700 NE 63rd Street (right after Missouri Ave).

Oklahoma City Nat'l Memorial - "Few events in the past quarter-century have rocked Americans' perception of themselves and their institutions and brought together the people of our nation with greater intensity than the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City."
  We didn't feel we could 'improve' upon the mission statement of the Oklahoma City Memorial Foundation: 
"We come here to remember
those who were killed, 
those who survived and those changed forever.
May all who leave here know the impact of violence.
May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity."

  This Outdoor Symbolic Memorial to the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building is at the site and open 24 hours, 365 days. NPS Rangers are on duty from April through September (inclusive) 9a to 10p; 9a to 5p the remainder of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days.
  The Memorial Center Museum, which is indoors, is open Monday through Saturday 9a to 6p; Sundays 1 to 6p. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days. Admission: $7; kids 6-17 $5. Last ticked is sold one hour before closing.
  For more information phone 1-888-542-4673 (toll free). Web site: OKNatMem.
  From I-40 eastbound, take exit 150-B and turn left on Robinson Ave. Drive to 4th Street turn left. Go 1 block to Harvey Avenue and turn right. The Memorial is very evident to your right.
  From I-40 westbound, take exit 150-C and follow the frontage road to Broadway. Right after you cross Broadway there is a split to the right; take this and then turn right on Robinson Ave. Drive to 4th Street turn left. Go 1 block to Harvey Avenue and turn right. The Memorial is very evident to your right. (Address: 620 N. Harvey).

Henryetta
Exit 240 is the interchange for the Indian Nation Turnpike that is especially scenic where it crosses the Jack Fork Mountains. Heading north from this exit, US-62/75 connect I-40 traffic with Tulsa. Just east of Henryetta I-40 crosses an arm of Eufaula Lake, part of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. Remember, this was part of the ‘dust bowl’ of the 1930s!

Checota to Sallisaw
Just east of Webbers Falls, between exits 287 and 291, you cross the Arkansas River on the bridge named in honor of Senators McClellan and Kerr. This river is navigable from the Mississippi to Tulsa allowing ships to operate between Tulsa and the Gulf of Mexico.

Sallisaw

Visitors' Center - From I-40 take exit 308. I eastbound, turn left; if westbound, turn right. Follow US-59 (Kerr Blvd) north into town. It Cherokee Ave US-59 turns right - and so do you. Drive to Elm Street and turn right. Go 1 block and turn left. The Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce is at 115 E. Choctaw Avenue.
  For more information phone 1-918-775-2558. Their web page, still under construction, is not yet very useful to tourists.

Fourteen Flags Museum - Probably the most interesting exhibit here is their collection of cattle brands. There is also the restored log cabin of Judge Frank Faulkner (built around 1845), a Union Pacific caboose and some other stuff. The name, Fourteen Flags, is derived from the fact that Oklahoma has had 14 'national' flags flying over its territory. An interesting paper on what constitutes the true flags that have flown over the Oklahoma territory can be found at: PettigrewPaper.
  Open daily 9a to 5p. Closed Christmas Day. Admission is FREE but they really would appreciate a donation.
  For more information phone 1-918-336-2491. Sorry, no web site.
  From the Visitors' Center, drive on to the next street (Oak Street), turn left and the museum is on the corner of the next street (200 E. Cherokee Street).

Sequoyah´s Cabin Site - This was the 1829 cabin and home of Sequoyah who lived in the late 19th Century. He was a Cherokee and the inventor of their alphabet. They will even teach you the fundamentals of the Cherokee language and why the invention of a written alphabet was so challenging.
  For more information phone 1-918-775-2413.
  Open Tuesday through Friday 9a to 5p; Saturday and Sunday 2 to 5p. Admission is FREE.
  From I-40 take exit 308. I eastbound, turn left; if westbound, turn right. Follow US-59 (Kerr Blvd) north into town. It Cherokee Ave US-59 turns right - and so do you. At Wheeler Street US-59 turns left and, again, so do you. Now follow US-59 out of town for almost 3 miles to OK-101. Turn right on 101 and follow it about 7 miles to the Sequoyah cabin site.

contributed by Bob Masters

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