Route 66 turns 100: Tulsa businesses and tourists celebrate the Mother Road's centennial

TULSA, Okla. — Route 66 is turning 100 — and a century later, the Mother Road is still giving people a reason to hit the road.

In Tulsa's Meadow Gold District, local businesses are feeling the impact of the centennial celebration as tourists from across the country arrive to explore the historic highway and spend their money locally.

Debbie and Gary Vaughn traveled all the way from Illinois to join in on the fun.

"We've been to different states, but we've never been to Oklahoma at all. And so, I'm going to be turning 70 in a few days, and so that was our trip for this year.. to celebrate my birthday on the Route 66," Vaughn said.

For tourists from across the country, Tulsa isn't just another stop along the Mother Road. It's a place to explore and spend local.

Nutt and Greg Vascuso made the trip from Missouri and say they share their travels on social media.

"We would have people put the stickers on this car from where they were. They would tell us who they are, where they're at, and so of course when we're traveling and people watch our fun little journey. They're going "Hey, what's that place? They went there, so I want to go there." So, I think that's our little way of helping out, and because if we don't help them out they aren't going to be here. And, our grandkids aren't going to be able to do what we're doing, and we want them to," Vascuso said.

That's something local business owner Mary Beth Babcock gets to see from the other side of the counter. Babcock owns several local businesses in the Meadow Gold District along Route 66, and says the City of Tulsa's $100 million investment over the last two decades has really helped alongside tourists.

"We've been planning for the centennial celebration for years. People would have no idea how much planning go on behind the scenes, but here we are. Our sales this year are up over 50%, most likely due to the centennial, and I love that I feel like this is just the beginning for Route 66," Babcock said.

And if tourists like the Vaughns and the Vascusos are any indication, the road is still plenty busy.

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