The Wellston Chamber of Commerce is currently raising money to create the Largest Route 66 sign.
“It’s going to look almost identical to the Route 66 shield, cut out like the sign with the 66 emblem in the middle of it raised off the sign and at the top, we’ll probably put Wellston Oklahoma,” Wellston Chamber of Commerce member Andrew Steffenson said. “We’re going to keep it as close to the Route 66 sign as possible.”
Steffenson said there will be lights on the sign that way it’ll be visible at night. Depending on the
Depending on the money raised, the sign will be 25 feet wide and 25 feet tall and completely made of metal.
“Hopefully it will stay there from now on, once we get it set up,” he said.
The sign will sit on Route 66B at the curve where Ash St. turns into Second St. and will be visible as drivers enter downtown Wellston.
Steffenson said he thought of the idea during a Wellston Chamber of Commerce meeting as they were brainstorming ideas on how to revitalize the downtown area.
“The businesses down there are dwindling in numbers and we’re looking to bring some traffic to the actual Main Street of Wellston,” he said. “I just came up with this idea and decided to put a plan together to make an attraction that will get people to visit the downtown of our community.”
Steffenson works downtown at the Steffenson Insurance and Tag Office downtown and sees how much comes through town.
“We want to increase that a little bit if we can,” he said.
Wellston City Manager John Cobb said they plan on building a parking lot and retaining wall as well as the sign.
Cobb said they want to make this a “selfie station.”
Cobb said the cost of the project is estimated at $16,500.
He said the received a $3,000 grant from Keep Oklahoma Beautiful and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
The rest of the funds will be reliant on donations.
“The more we can raise the nicer we can make it,” Steffenson said.
Donations can be made at Stroud National Bank under the Wellston Chamber of Commerce Route 66 Sign Project or at Steffenson Insurance in Wellston.
Steffenson said they are currently working on creating a sponsorship options.
Interested parties can call Steffenson at 405-356-2477.