The turret (round tower) on this Victorian mansion is beautiful! The whole house is beautiful. In the 1970s, it was rescued from demolition, and moved to the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. In 2008, Harris Moving Company moved it to their property in Nicoma Park. They had...
10 Gorgeous Old Maps of Jerusalem
The National Library of Israel has published 200 historical maps of Jerusalem on the Internet. They are high resolution and free to use. The maps were donated by Eran Laor a philosopher, poet and Jewish Agency official during the Mandate era.
Vintage Slate Chalkboard Lessons from 1917 Discovered in Oklahoma School
Contractors renovating Emerson High School in Oklahoma City, made an awesome discovery this week. Behind existing chalkboards they discovered vintage slate chalkboard lessons, drawings, instructions and a prayer from 1917. The prayer reads: "I give my head and my...
Update: Carlyle Motel Sign Destroyed; Sold Off In Pieces.
The fate of the Carlyle Motel sign on Route 66 in Oklahoma City is worse than I thought. Click here for my original post on the subject. Both sides of the sign (referred to in the promotion as east and west) are being sold off as puzzle pieces. Most of the pieces have...
Carlyle Motel Sign on Route 66 Replaced With Backlit Junk
Future generations will not be able to enjoy Oklahoma City's world famous Carlyle Motel sign on Route 66. It is gone. The owners sold it back in January and replaced it with this ugly backlit piece of junk. I noticed it today driving home from the kids' soccer game on...
Revisiting the Glass Insulators on Oklahoma’s Lawrie Stretch
Yesterday, I finally made it back up to State Highway 77, just north of Guthrie and south of Mulhall to see the glass insulators on the Lawrie Stretch. This is an area known as the Lawrie Stretch, which crosses the Cimarron River. Assuming I don't buy a gypsy wagon or...
The Historic Blue Swallow Motel on Route 66
"When Route 66 was closed to the majority of traffic and the other highway came in, I felt just like I had lost an old friend. But some of us stuck it out and are still here on Route 66." --Lillian Redman, former owner, Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, New Mexico This...
Abandoned Motels On Route 66
The Lasso Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico was bulldozed in February 2010. Who knows when it roped in its last customer, but as far back as 1970, it was creating hellish experiences for travelers. Get a load of this comment I swiped from Flickr user, butitsmine: "In...
Disappearing Retro Signs
[KOSU Radio Commentary] I don't know about you, but the staycations are starting to make me a little stay-crazy. The other day, I said to my husband, Robert, let's take the kids to Albuquerque for the weekend. We'll stay in a hotel and the kids will swim in the pool...
John Johansen and the OKC Children’s Museum
Meet me at the wrecking ball. Wear something pretty and white. --Neil Young Look at the glorious architectural rendering of the Oklahoma City Children's Museum, a proposal that if funded would ensure the preservation of architect's John Johansen's downtown...
Easter Egg Hunt at the Overholser Mansion
One of the best things about living in Oklahoma City's historic neighborhood, Heritage Hills (albeit in a prairie bungalow in the foothills), is the annual Easter egg hunt at the historic Overholser Mansion. The mansion is on the National Register of Historic...
This Oklahoma Life: Walcourt, Classen’s North Highland Parked
I have always loved the Walcourt Building, which is located on Walnut Street on NE 13th Street, about 10 blocks from the Oklahoma State Capitol. I keep thinking something truly wonderful awaits this building as it has architectural and historical significance to...