Oklahoma, Part 6

Visits to two museums that feature blasts from the past: one dedicated to singer/songwriter Roger Miller, and another celebrating the famous Route 66.

The Roger Miller Museum, located in Erick, Oklahoma, hosts a set of family photos, memorabilia, album covers, and items Miller owned before his death in 1992. (Biography here.) Several of his suits are on display. Miller is noted for tunes like "King of the Road," "My Boyfriend's Back," "Dang Me," "Do Wacka Do," and music from the Broadway show Big River, an adaptation of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The woman running the museum was knowledgeable and friendly, and followed us around the room, relating stories about Miller's life and career. As with many museums, photos weren't permitted, so you'll have to follow the link provided to get an idea of the visuals.

From Erick, we moved on to the National Route 66 Museum. In addition to two buildings that deal with the people and vehicles that used the road (or were available to travelers/drivers at the time), there is an "Old Village" of buildings like the General Store, the doctor's clinic, a blacksmith's shop, etc. Also on the grounds are the Farm and Ranch Museum and the Pioneer Museum, which features displays on the history of Elk City through items owned by the locals.



At right and left are a set of cars, an airplane, and a fire truck featured in the Transportation Building. Visits can actually sit in many of the vehicles in this display.





Dad spent a lot of time in the Farm and Ranch Museum, and I took several pictures of the displays of tractors, hand tools, and old-time equipment like wind pumps and watering troughs.







Outside the blacksmith's shop, Mom noticed this metal tree made of horseshoes.




The Pioneer Museum featured many items from the 1800s, most of which were owned or produced in Elk City. The upstairs of the museum including displays of local cowboys and bull riders.



Other buildings in the Old Town section including the general store, banks, schoolhouse, and post office.





We finished off the day with dinner at The Pig Trough, a local bar-b-cue restaurant. The name may sound a bit funny, but the food was quite good and reasonably priced.