2024 Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame Inductees Honored
Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell speaks about the importance of the people along Route 66 to a packed audience at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum.
It was standing room only at the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma as the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony got underway on Saturday, July 27th. The Hall of Fame has been expanding every two years since it began 30 year ago, with author and historian Michael Wallis as the first inductee. This year, the Association was proud to recognize two Oklahoma citizens whose efforts to promote and preserve Route 66 have had great impact: Jerry Mcclanahan of Chandler and the late Jeannette “Bunny” Neff of Sayre.
“Our mission is to preserve and promote the road,” said Association President Rhys Martin. “Recognizing people that have been instrumental to that mission is a key part of ensuring the legacy of Route 66 remains alive and well.” The induction ceremony was led by Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, a tireless champion of the communities along Oklahoma’s 400+ miles of the Mother Road. Clinton Mayor David Berrong, Oklahoma Historical Society Director Trait Thompson, and Oklahoma Senator Darcy Jech were also in attendance and helped recognize the new inductees. They all celebrated the fact that it’s the people that make Route 66 special.
Bunny Neff was a long-time civic servant in Beckham County, near the Texas border. Bunny moved to Sayre in 1962 with her husband Raymond and was a part of the original US 66 Highway Association, a national organization founded by the Father of Route 66, Cyrus Avery, back in the road’s earliest days. She wanted Western Oklahoma to get a fair shake and worked hard to make sure it was not forgotten. She also helped establish the Short Grass County Museum, served as President of the Chamber of Commerce, and supported multiple other organizations dedicated to economic development and community service. Even though US 66 was formally de-certified in 1985, she didn’t let that dampen her spirits. She helped found the Oklahoma Route 66 Association in 1989 and served on the Board, carrying forward that legacy until she passed away in 2010.
Jerry Mcclanahan of Chandler was the other inductee; his induction was led by friend (and fellow Hall of Famer) Jim Ross. Jerry has been traveling Route 66 for his entire life, first capturing it with his camera, then interpreting it with his brush, and finally translating it with his maps. His gallery in Chandler has become a must-stop destination for travelers to see his art and get their EZ-66 Guide signed. The EZ-66 Guide for Travelers is considered by all roadies as the best turn-by-turn guidebook for traveling Historic Route 66. The EZ Guide was first published in 2005 and is currently on its fifth edition. Jerry’s hard work to create and update his guide makes traveling the historic alignments of Route 66 accessible to the public and has become an indispensable part of any roadie’s journey.
After the ceremony, a new photo exhibit was unveiled at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum called Discovering 66. The collection features photography from Oklahoma Route 66 Association President Rhys Martin that charts his path from world traveler to Oklahoma explorer to Route 66 advocate. The exhibit is planned to be on display at the museum until 2026, the year of the road’s Centennial.
