May 4—The Chelsea Area Historical Society is one of 11 Route 66 projects recently funded through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s Route 66 Grant Program.
The Historical Society received $325,500 for the restoration and conversion of the 1896 Chelsea Bank building into a local history museum for the community.
The goal is to create a new roadside museum on Route 66 that will provide an “innovative, immersive and unforgettable experience,” the grant authors said.
“Our project will be a major roadside attraction on Route 66, celebrating the living history of Native Americans, settlers, historical figures, area celebrities and the road that brought them all together,” the document states. CHS grant.
In December, Commerce announced the opening of the application process to allow communities to apply for funding available to municipalities, nonprofits and government entities located on Route 66.
More than $6.3 million in grants were distributed in the first round, said Thomas Tillerson, chairman of the Route 66 Commission.
The Chelsea Bank project will be led by David Anderson, president of the Chelsea Area Historical Society. He brings to his new position 14 years of experience as the former director of Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park, visited by thousands of people each year.
“He understands what tourists traveling Route 66 want to see and experience, and he is putting that knowledge to use for the new museum,” the grant application states.
“[Anderson] He knows, for example, that American and foreign travelers are fascinated by Native American culture. That’s why CAHS plans to offer an in-depth account of the lives of the area’s indigenous population as well as the settlers who arrived later, including stories of how their lives intertwined. Eventually, Route 66 arrived to connect them all and transport them in and out of their home countries; the famous highway is a part of history that remains as alive and vibrant as the people themselves, a fact that will be reflected in its prominence in the museum.
Additionally, consultants on the project will be Oklahoma and specifically Rogers County historical authority author John Wooley, a member of the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame, best known for his books on the state history and popular culture, and Andy Couch, current executive director and curator of the Firehouse Art Center. Dr. Bob Blackburn, a Rogers County native and noted historian for the Oklahoma Historical Society, will be sought for his advice and assistance.
Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell said, “As we approach the centennial celebrations, there has never been a better time to invest in Mother Road. Tourism is the gateway to economic development, and this grant will be a catalyst for development throughout Oklahoma. “.
A second application phase allowing communities to submit projects is currently open and will close on July 19 at 5 p.m. To be eligible, projects must support historic preservation or promote economic development on Route 66. Projects…
