Route 66: Roots of the Mother Road - a photo on Flickriver

Just outside of Miami, Oklahoma is the last remaining section of the original 9-foot wide "Ribbon Road" (or "Sidewalk Highway") that predates and became a part of Route66. It is listed as a National Historic Landmark. This remarkable piece of vintage pavement zigzags between Miami and Afton and is the only section of paved one-lane Route 66 that can still be driven!

Predating Route 66 by several years, it was built in 1922 when the highway commissioners of Craig and Ottawa counties in Oklahoma found that they had only half the money needed to undertake the roadway project. The Federal Highway Commission required the road to be paved for the counties to receive federal funds but did not specify width -- engineer George Klein suggested that they make the road a single paved lane nine feet wide. This was part of Route 66 until 1937 when it was finally bypassed and became the last section of Route 66 in Oklahoma to be completely paved (both lanes).

It was a thrill locating and driving down this 8-foot wide ribbon of narrow pavement (with 6-inch concrete curbs on each side). The feeling was one of having first-hand experience of the holy grail of Route 66. Although the old road has fallen apart and is crumbling badly in sections (like this), we found this portion to be amazingly intact...

Taken outside Miami, Oklahoma

October 2007

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©

Taken on: October 16, 2007

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Route 66

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Miami

Afton

Mother Road

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1937

history

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Ribbon Road

Sidewalk Highway

George Klein

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roadway

highway

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Canon

EOS

30D

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October

2007

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forgotten

abandoned

forsaken things

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Sets appears in: • Oklahoma • Personal Favorites more » • Oklahoma-Route 66 « less

Groups appears in: • Landmarks • Route 66 more » • Oklahoma • Mayberry, RFD - rural places, rural lives • Americana • Roads Less Travelled • landscapes • Historical places • FORSAKEN BY SOCIETY • History USA • US National Historic Landmarks • This is America • Historic Photography • Oklahoma Photos • Old & Forgotten • EVERYTHING AMERICA • Everything Oklahoma • Travel Oklahoma • National Register of Historic Places • canon digital photography. • Fading America • Amateur Landscape • Oklahoma Scenics • The Forgotten! • USA - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA • Houston Photographers (all types of photography) • " Have Camera ~ Will Travel " • US Route 66 (The Mother Road) • Route 66 Oklahoma • Tracks to the Past « less

Camera: Canon EOS 30D, f/9.0, 1/200 sec, 24mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 30D
Aperture:	f/9.0
Exposure Time:	0.005 sec (1/200)
Focal Length:	24mm
ISO:	400
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Paint Shop Pro Photo 11.20
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