Persisting against the odds. That aptly describes me, the country, Route 66, the old Jeep, and just about anything else that I can think of.

And that phrase is in the title of a fascinating new book, Here Today: Oklahoma’s Ghost Towns, Vanishing Towns, and Towns Perisisting Against the Odds by Jeffrey Schmidt. It was a distinct pleasure to talk with Schmidt about his book, his research, and the allure of ghost towns on the May 26, 2024 episode of Coffee With Jim, the weekly Jim Hinckley’s America podcast.

Towns Persisting Against The Odds

Ghost towns have a universal appeal that transcends barriers of language or culture. And if they can be linked to something as popular as Route 66 the fascination is magnified. The popularity of Two Guns among Route 66 enthusiasts is one example. The questions I receive from readers of Ghost Towns of Route 66 is another.

So, as Texola on Route 66 is profiled in Schmidt’s book, it isn’t surprising that we talked about this faded and fascinating town on the podcast. Did you know that the early residents of this town lived in Oklahoma and Texas, and yet lived in the same house for years?

Our conversation also touched on the “all black towns of Oklahoma” that are profiled in the book. Fascinating. This is another chapter in American history that I was unaware of.

Lamar

The book provided more than enough content for several podcasts. And it has also inspired a few road trips and detours the next time that we drive through Oklahoma.

But Lamar really grabbed my attention. The photograph of the architectural masterpiece that is the bank built of stone had me adding this town to the list of places that I must visit.

However, it was reading the story of W.C. Newman’s discovery that really pulled me into the history of Lamar. In 1923 while drilling for oil, Newman struck almost pure petroleum jelly. This was the only well of its kind in the world. It required construction of a special heated pipeline to keep it flowing.

Me, The Country, Route 66, and The Old Jeep

Folks from throughout the world recently birthday greetings. I was appreciative and humbled. But birthdays always lead to reflection. As I meditated on the years that have passed, all I could think about was Schmidt’s book and the line in the tile aboutpersisiting against the odds.

Our old Jeep and I have lots in common. We both have covered lots of hard and dusty miles. And a few more were added to the odometer this past weekend, 360 miles to be exact. About half of these were along Route 66, and a few were along the dustry trace of the National Old Trails Road to see if the Pica station was still standing. It was, but with a definite lean that leaves little doubt that it won’t be standing much longer.

This particular adventure had as a destination the dynamic old city of Prescott, the territorial capital of Arizona. I had been invited by Bob Boze Bell to share the stage, and tell a few stories, at the kick off for the road show segment of his The Route 66 Kids project. The venue was a true gem, the renovated Elks Theatre built in 1904.

As to the state of the nation, suffice to say, political news often leaves me thinking, “Is this the best that we can do?” There is a caveat to this line of thinking.

I have just finished reading Leadership In Turbulent Times by Dorris Kearns Goodwin. It chronicles the evolution of the leadership skills of four extraordinary presidents – Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Rooselvelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. So, in my mind the bar for national leadership is rather high.

Route 66 is not only peristing against the odds, it seems to be thriving. The forthcoming centennial promises to be a very exciting year.

Next

So, what’s next? Well, on June 18th, we are taking to the road again. On the schedule is a program about the dawnng of the great American American road trip at the New Mexico Mining Museum in Grants, New Mexico.

Then from the 22nd and 24th, I will be at the AAA Route 66 Road Fest in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am really looking forward to this event, and to being on stage to talk about Route 66.

On an upcoming episode of Coffee With Jim our guest will be Wade Bray, organizer of the AAA Route 66 Road Fest. This promises to be a fascinating and road trip inspiring program.

And work continues on the Route 66 centennial anthology. The tentative date for publication is this coming fall.

Stay tuned. Become a follower of Jim Hinckley’s America, and never miss an update.