

# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Back in Time Premiere Screening & Panel Discussion: Route 66 – The First 100 Years
- **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 08 Jan, 2026 at 01:00 pm
- **Event Description**: Celebrate the centennial of America’s most iconic highway at OETA’s Back in Time premiere screening and panel discussion featuring the new episode Route 66: The First 100 Years. 

Journey through Oklahoma’s rich Route 66 history, from Tulsa’s neon Meadow Gold sign and the whimsical Blue Whale of Catoosa to Lucille’s Service Station near Hydro and the site of Cal’s Café in Erick. 

Using rare archival footage and stories from the roadside, the program explores how the “Main Street of America” shaped Oklahoma’s identity, fueled commerce, connected communities, and inspired generations of travelers.

Join historians and special guests as we celebrate the nostalgia, resilience, and enduring magic of Route 66.

Date &amp; Time: Thursday, January 8 | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
Admission: Free to the public. Museum admission is required for those wishing to explore the exhibits.

Partners: Oklahoma Historical Society | Oklahoma History Center | OETA

Moderator:

Robert Burch
An Oklahoma City native, Robert Burch spent over 30 years as an anchor and reporter across Iowa, Missouri, Texas, and Oklahoma before joining the OETA team in 2003. He is now the producer of Back in Time and host of the OETA Movie Club, earning five Emmy Awards and numerous honors for his engaging storytelling and his passion for history and film.

Panelists:

Jim Ross
Jim Ross is a Route 66 historian who has spent more than 30 years exploring, researching, mapping, and writing about the Mother Road. He is the author or coauthor of 10 books, including Route 66 Crossings and Route 66 Sightings. His newest book, Route 66—The First 100 Years (coauthored with his wife, Shellee Graham), was named one of the 10 Best Travel Books of 2025 by Smithsonian Magazine and included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Summer Reading List.

⸻

Rhys Martin
Rhys Martin is an author and photographer from Tulsa whose love of travel began in 2009 when he sold his belongings and spent ten months traveling through Southeast Asia and Europe. Returning home with fresh eyes, he discovered the importance of Oklahoma’s back roads and Route 66 to the American story. He has traveled all 2,448 miles of the Mother Road. His work has appeared in Route 66 Magazine, Tulsa People, The Oklahoman, and Tulsa World. He is the national Preserve Route 66 Manager for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association.

⸻

Jerry McClanahan
Jerry McClanahan is a renowned Route 66 historian, artist, and author best known for the EZ 66 Guide for Travelers. His detailed maps, guidebooks, and paintings celebrate the classic cars, diners, and landmarks of the historic highway. Based in Chandler, Oklahoma, McClanahan has spent decades preserving and sharing the legacy of Route 66 through his art and storytelling.

⸻

Michael Wallis
Michael Wallis is an American historian, journalist, and author of more than 18 books, including the influential Route 66: The Mother Road, which helped spark a revival of interest in the historic highway. A three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, Wallis writes extensively about the American West and is also known as the voice of Sheriff in Pixar’s Cars.

⸻

Ken Busby
Ken Busby is a leading advocate for Route 66 preservation and serves as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association. He has played a key role in protecting historic sites along the Mother Road and promoting Route 66 tourism in Oklahoma. Busby works closely with local communities, preservation groups, and national partners to ensure Route 66 remains a living part of Oklahoma’s heritage, especially as the Centennial approaches.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/oklahoma-city/back-in-time-premiere-screening-and-panel-discussion-route-66-the-first-100-years/200029360351957
- **Event Categories**: art, business, literary-art, entertainment, storytelling
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 315

## Ticket Details

- **Ticket URL**: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/38d53u2?utm_source=AllEvents.in&utm_medium=event-discovery-platform&utm_campaign=oklahoma+city-events

## Event venue details

- **city**: Oklahoma City
- **state**: OK
- **country**: United States
- **location**: Oklahoma History Center
- **lat**: 35.49425
- **long**: -97.4997
- **full address**: Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr, Oklahoma City, OK 73105-7917, United States

## Event Organizer details

- **affiliate_id**: 2
- **organizer**: OETA (https://allevents.in/org/oeta/26324645)

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: banner
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/187f6aa73cdb1bbf02e43a67ee2c0d36ae56d612ffdc1959659483ff61556bcb-rimg-w1200-h628-dc010000-gmir?v=1767827470
- **Alt text**: thumbnail
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/91f907563ce81518f19cdc12f86dd7ad5276cb3f7e3f01c9d99e80166a33af1f-rimg-w300-h300-dc000000-gmir?v=1767827470

## FAQs

- **Q**: When is the event happening?
  - **A:** Thu, 08 Jan, 2026 at 01:00 pm
- **Q**: Where is the event happening?
  - **A:** Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr, Oklahoma City, OK 73105-7917, United States
- **Q**: Who is organizing the event?
  - **A:** OETA
- **Q**: What type of event is this?
  - **A:** art, business, literary-art, entertainment, storytelling
- **Q**: Where can I find ticket details about Back in Time Premiere Screening & Panel Discussion: Route 66 – The First 100 Years ?
  - **A:** You can find ticket details about this event on AllEvents.

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