The Father of the Mother Road
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St. Louis, Joplin, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Gallup, Flagstaff … once upon a time you could theoretically get from Chicago to Los Angeles, but there was no happening highway that was best you could use to get your kicks while getting there, just disconnected stretches of roads and trails. Then Cyrus Avery happened. The creation of an iconic highway through one man’s dedicated leadership fills Susan Kelly’s “Father of Route 66: The Story of Cy Avery,” now in hardcover from OU Press. Avery came to Oklahoma before statehood and became a driving (ba-dum-bum) force in highway development – plus he’s the reason the road that would become Route 66 came through Oklahoma at all: he convinced Congress that it would be better to swing south and avoid the highest parts of the Rockies. So if you’re planning a scenic trip to Tulsa this month, or could appreciate learning a bit about an unsung highway pioneer, this book is a prime way to get hip.
