By Ray Dyer
El Reno Tribune
EL RENO – History pays, especially history that attracts tourism dollars.
The City of El Reno recently learned it had been awarded a grant of more than $1.2 million by the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission. The funds will be used to transform the eyesore of an old service station at 120 S. Choctaw into what’s expected to be a tourism magnet.
El Reno City Manager Matt Sandidge told the audience at the El Reno Now gathering, the restoration project will create an attraction that both local residents as well as the entire state of Oklahoma “can be proud of.”
Sandidge called the gas station a “hidden gem” on Route 66. He said he had been in contact with the artist who created the massive mural that covers the east side of the structure. Plans are being made to refresh the artwork which is expected to become a photo opportunity for Route 66 travelers.
“This is a big deal for El Reno,” Sandidge said.
He said the grant approval comes at a time that El Reno is drawing a great deal of attention.
Last week, the New York Times featured an article about a fried onion hamburger restaurant opening in New York City. The story mentioned El Reno a number of times and credited it with being the fried onion hamburger capital. The story called the hamburger a “delicacy.”
“We’ve been eating them our whole life,” Sheriff Chris West said to laughter.
Sandidge said the revitalization of the service station and the attention focusing on El Reno will pay dividends.
“Sometimes we don’t realize what we have right here,” Sandidge said.
The Route 66 Commission was especially complimentary of the city of El Reno for its eagerness to revitalize the historic highway that will celebrate its centennial in 2026.
“With its unique renovation of the old fuel station on Historic Sunset Drive, your proposal not only stood out, but shone brightly among a highly competitive pool of applications,” the award letter reads. “The Oklahoma Route 66 Commission was deeply impressed with the potential impact of your project on El Reno. Your organization’s dedication and commitment will undoubtedly leave a significant mark on your community.”
Sandidge said a separate grant that would help create a more attractive and user-friendly Petree and Mother Road Plaza was not accepted in this round of grant funding. He said the city will resubmit that application in July when the second round of grant funding opens.
The city used Halff Associates to help create the renderings of what the Choctaw corner as well as the Plaza area could look like. Halff is the engineering and architecture firm contracted by the city to create a master plan for the Adams Park and Lake El Reno area.
Sandidge said the idea is to make the Mother Road Plaza and Petree Plaza more connected and inviting for people to gather. “People already stop at the Mother Road Plaza,” Sandidge said. “This would connect the areas and hopefully encourage people to stay longer and more events to take place there.”
Ideas for the revitalization of the 120 S. Choctaw corner include working with local classic car clubs like the El Reno Cruisers to display vintage vehicles in the bays of the filling station. The metal doors on the bays now are expected to be replaced with glass.
The mural will serve as a “great” photo opportunity for people chronicling their trip along historic Route 66, El Reno Mayor Steve Jensen said.
“It’s a world-class mural,” he said.
