With its enduring, endearing 2,400 miles of continuous roadway from Chicago to the Pacific Ocean, Route 66 has earned its place as a national treasure. The inspiration for Nat King Cole’s 1946 hit song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” and John Steinbeck’s classic, Grapes of Wrath, today’s quirky roadside art and attractions, spectrum of scenery and the sheer...
Behind the Coleman Theatre’s gold-leaf trim, and one-ton crystal chandelier rests a scrappy, never-say-die ruffian.
In 1929, George Coleman built the $600,000, 1,600-seat cinematic palace as a gift to the town where he amassed his mining fortune. After hosting legends like Will Rogers, however, the theater fell into neglect and faced demolition.
Local volunteers rallied to save it, piecing together a...
Of Oklahoma’s fire departments, around 81% are fully volunteer, primarily because many towns can’t afford full-time staff. Volunteer-heavy departments are more common in rural areas where wildfires often ignite.
Tuttle originally had an all-volunteer fire department that has gradually transitioned into a combo of full-time staff and volunteers. A Tuttle native whose family is from the area, Lonnie Paxton stepped...
Honored as a top authentic American experience by Time Magazine, the world’s first action figure museum began in a Pauls Valley basement.
Founder Kevin Stark promised his parents he’d clean up said basement if he could move his toys downstairs from the bedroom he shared with his two brothers.
“As a kid, I was creating my own worlds,” says the artist...
As far back as Ptolemy in A.D. 150, astronomers have sought a closer look at the cosmos. The famed astronomer named twelve constellations that became the zodiac, and forty-eight constellations in all, visible during different seasons throughout the year.
The night sky has surely fascinated observers for centuries, but the tools used to explore it have changed dramatically. On clear...
In a world of self-assembled bookshelves, disposable coffee tables and next-day furniture delivery, a growing number of people are choosing a different path: investing in handcrafted furniture.
For consumers weary of replacing sagging sofas and wobbly dining sets that rarely survives a move, heirloom-quality craftsmanship offers an appealing alternative. While custom furniture often carries a higher price tag, advocates say...
Experience Oklahoma on foot or by bicycle through social exercise clubs. Whether you're a seasoned athlete, a complete beginner or someone who's in between, there's a welcoming group for anyone looking to move their body for fitness and fun.
Everyone knows regular physical activity can improve health, increase energy levels and improve sleep quality, but finding the motivation to get...
Last month, we left rock ‘n’ roll bassist Gary Gilmore in his hometown of Tulsa, where he’d been working a regular club gig with drummer Gary Sanders and a guitarist-vocalist named John Cale. (Because of the wide-open local nightclub scene at the time, even an underage musician like Gilmore – who’d just graduated from high school – was able...
Jamaica, the third largest island in the Caribbean, is full of nuances. Traveling there is like visiting an old friend – one who knows exactly what you need. Her welcoming demeanor and curiosity for people is genuine; Jamaican hospitality nurtures and nourishes. Everyday’s buffet is a new surprise of delicious jerk spices, barbecued meat, saltfish, kidney, mannish water, escovitch,...
Marcel Reynolds, who is 98-years-young, has never made plans to slow down. While a successful engineer, he became an avid woodworker, crafting all the doors, corbels and decorative work for his New Mexico home. Upon approaching retirement, he deliberately transitioned into hobby farming – a planned lifestyle shift he credits for his health and longevity.
“I really didn’t slow down...
