New Listing on National Register of Historic Places in Claremore – Guess Where?

If you’ve ever driven through Foyil, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the newest member of the National Register of Historic Places. To local folks, it’s considered Foyil, but the mailing address is 12243 S. Andy Payne Blvd., Claremore. Who knows.

Anyway, the 1920s gas station, formerly the Foyil Filling Station, has made the list, official on December 8, 2015. The owner, Kean Isaacs, is on a mission to restore the building to its original condition. The goal is to reopen eventually as a Texaco merchandise outlet and information center. Being located on Route 66, I imagine the tourist traffic would be pretty decent.

A Facebook page shows the station’s ongoing renovations. They are finding all kinds of cool treasures along the way, so check it out. The National Register designation will make the property eligible for tax credits and other preservation incentives.

The official address is 12243 S. Andy Payne Blvd. in Claremore, Oklahoma, although the station sits in the middle of Foyil. Andy Payne Boulevard was Chestnut Avenue, which was U.S. 66 from 1926 to 1963.

The street is named after Foyil native Andy Payne, who won the 1928 Trans-American Footrace, aka Bunion Derby, of more than 3,400 miles, including all of U.S. 66. Years after Payne’s death, Foyil erected a statue of him where old Route 66 and newer Route 66 meet on the west edge of town.

For more details, get the full story on Route 66 News.