Threatt's Filling Station - Luther, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 39.986 W 097° 08.490
14S E 668214 N 3948543
Route 66 had its difficulties for African-American travelers. Threatt's was a welcome oasis.
Waymark Code: WMAPXY
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 02/09/2011
Views: 19
All along Route 66, one watches for the few icons still left. Often, old neon signs are the first attraction you see. This service station won't stand out like many of the other icons, but it served a needed role in those early traveling days. Three miles east of Luther, on Route 66, at the intersection with Pottawatomi Road (the Oklahoma-Lincoln County line), stands a small building which has historical significance.
This is a one-story building constructed with local sandstone, with a gabled roof with wide eaves, constructed c.1915, before the Mother Road was dedicated. It is built in the Bungalow/Craftsman style, as was popular in that era. Facing Route 66 is a double-door entry, with deteriorating wooden doors. Years ago, these doors had spring-loaded screen doors in front, and you can just imagine the Norman Rockwell scene as folks went in and out of the building. The original pumps had the glass container at the top, but were later replaced with the enameled pumps in the 1940s. The wood shed addition to the building was built in 1961. Older photos show what appears to be an outhouse on the east side of the building, which is no longer there.
The Threatt family homesteaded in the Luther area. They were African-Americans and raised crops, sold sandstone from a quarry on their farm, and then later opened this service station. Travel could be difficult in the early days, and African-Americans had even more difficulty, as they were not always welcome at service stations. This station catered to those who might be turned away elsewhere. From 1915 to the 1950s, this station was a popular roadside stop.
In more recent days, the building was used as a residence, as it was in 1995 when the National Historic Register nomination was prepared (#95000038). Today, however, the building is vacant, and not in use. But it stands as a monument to those early days of Route 66.
[Information source: National Register nomination].
Americana: Service Station
Significant Interest: Other Icon
Milestone or Marker: Other Icon
Web Site Address: [Web Link]
Address of Icon:
Jct. Route 66 and Pottawatomi Road (county line)
21960 E. Highway 66
Luther, OK US
73054
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