The
Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
drove on Route 66 in Tulsa, OK and saw
the Space Cowboy, murals, the Golden Driller and more
October 13, 2022
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Below: Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios
- 1347 E 11th Street, Tulsa, OK 74120. It is a gift shop celebrating
the magic of Route 66 The Mother Road. Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios was
open daily at this time. The shop's owner, Mary Beth Babcock, also operates
a Route-66-themed Air-B-NB behind the store, if you need a place to
park your spaceship in Tulsa for a few days, but the two RV Gypsies
did not stay there of course because they travel in their RV. |
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STANDING OVER ROUTE 66 IN
Tulsa Oklahoma is a 21-foot tall space cowboy roadside attraction. The
giant cowboy welcomes visitors to Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on 66, a
gift shop selling a variety of souvenirs, clothing, neon signs, and
other memorabilia dedicated to the mystique of America’s Mother Road.
The rocket was crafted by local Tulsa artist, Chris Wollard.
Buck Atom is a unique twist on the legacy of “muffler men” that dot
the Route 66 landscape. In the days before the US Interstate Highway
System was built, Route 66 was one of the primary roads for taking American
travelers across the Southwest. The route passed directly through the
main streets of cities and towns, and restaurants, motels, drive-ins,
and shops often placed large neon signs or roadside attractions outside
their businesses to draw in motorists. Even gas stations and autobody
shops needed to stand out — which led to the creation of “muffler men,”
giant statues of, oftentimes, burly men dressed as lumberjacks and cowboys
(all of which the two RV Gypsies have photographed in the past). Thousands
of “muffler men” statues were produced in the 1960s and 1970s. |
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Below: Two Great Murals - the
second one is a dog training business |
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Below: It looks like Lee Duquette parked
the car in the middle of the road. BUT WAIT - Not Really - That IS the
proper parking spot. The big space near the sidewalk is for bikes. |
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Below: Signs for the Expo Square and a big blinking "Thank
You Tulsa" sign. The Complex is used for a variety of entertainment
and educational events in such venues as Expo Center, Pavilion, Livestock
Facility and Exchange Center. |
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Below: The Golden Driller
is a 75-foot-tall, 43,500-pound statue of an oil worker, in Tulsa,
Oklahoma. It was built from a steel frame, covered with concrete and
plaster. It is said to be the 5th-tallest statue in the United States.
History: It was originally built in 1953 by the Mid-Continent Supply
Company of Fort Worth for the International Petroleum Exposition. Six
years later, it was temporarily erected again for the 1959 show. Due
to the positive attention it attracted, the company donated the statue
to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds Trust Authority which had it anatomically
redesigned and permanently installed in front of the Tulsa Expo Center
for the 1966 International Petroleum Exposition. The statue's right
hand rests on an oil derrick which had been moved from a depleted oil
field in Seminole, Oklahoma.
An inscription at the base of the statue reads: "The Golden Driller,
a symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. Dedicated to the
men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created
from God's abundance a better life for mankind."
In 1979, the Golden Driller was adopted by the Oklahoma Legislature
as the state monument.
As part of an online promotional contest sponsored by Kimberly-Clark
in October 2006, the Golden Driller was named the grand prize as a top
ten "quirkiest destination" in the United States, winning
its nominator a $90,000 international vacation for two. |
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Below: Lee and Karen Duquette
are dwarfed by the size of The Golden Driller (described above). Look
closely to see them in the photos below. |
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