Cooper in Tulsa in Tulsa County, Oklahoma — The American South (West South Central)

Route 66 Motels

— Tulsa's Historic Route 66 —

Photographed by Mark Hilton, October 22, 2019

1. Route 66 Motels Marker

Inscription. As automobiles became a popular mode of travel for leisure-seekers, early "auto-enthusiasts" camped along the roadside or in organized tourist campgrounds. Beginning in the 1920s, motor courts and motels developed along busier highways to provide affordable accommodations for families and individuals. Typically located outside of city centers, the motor hotel included rows of freestanding cabins or attached rooms arranged around a courtyard. The motel was often one part of a larger complex that also included a restaurant, a service station, and sometimes a swimming pool. There was ample parking in front of each room or sometimes in an attached garage.

The number of roadside motels soared through the 1930s and again after World War Il, following the rise in automobile ownership. As Americans enjoyed the prosperity and freedom of the post-war period, the number of motels in the United States quadrupled.

To attract customers, motel operators erected giant signs to catch the attention of travelers. Typically an elaborate neon display helped to communicate the motel's quality and range of services.

Erected 2019 by Tulsa Route 66 Commission. (Marker Number 1.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles

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. In addition, it is included in the U.S. Route 66 series list.

Location. 36° 8.889′ N, 95° 50.698′ W. Marker is in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in Tulsa County. It is in Cooper. It is on East 11th Street east of East Skelly Drive, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11707 East 11th Street, Tulsa OK 74128, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Oklahoma’s Muscogee Nation

and specifically in the Cherokee Nation.

It is also in the American South,

specifically on the prairies,

and on the Southern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Rose Bowl Lanes (approx. 2.8 miles away); Tulsa, Oklahoma (approx. 2.9 miles away); McIntyre Airport (approx. 3½ miles away); The Era of World War II (approx. 4.3 miles away); The American Milkman (approx. 4.3 miles away); White City Historic District Neighborhood (approx. 4.3 miles away); The Golden Drumstick Restaurant (approx. 4.3 miles away); The Fabric of a Community (approx. 4.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tulsa.

Route 66 Motels Marker with trail map. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, October 22, 2019

2. Route 66 Motels Marker with trail map.

Route 66 Motels Marker with the Route 66 Eastern Gateway Arch in background. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, October 22, 2019

3. Route 66 Motels Marker with the Route 66 Eastern Gateway Arch in background.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 6, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 455 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 6, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.