Historic Newspaper Clippings of the Highway!
Look down below to read different historic newspaper clippings that were written about the Jefferson Highway in Oklahoma.
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Jefferson Highway Garage Advertisement (1920) - Commerce, OklahomaMany communities along the historic route established Jefferson Highway Garage businesses. These businesses provided mechanic work and sold tires and automobiles. This one was located in Commerce, Oklahoma, and established in 1918. It was owned by several proprietors over the years and lasted until the late 1920s under this name.
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Jefferson Highway Builders (1916) - Muskogee, OklahomaThis advertisement was placed in the Muskogee newspaper in 1916 by the local Chamber of Commerce. It shows the strong desire to be part of the Jefferson Highway route and the efforts that the community had to create "good roads" to better the highway.
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Jefferson Highway Garage (1916) - Checotah , OklahomaThis newspaper notice shows the establishment of the Jefferson Highway Garage in Checotah, Oklahoma, in 1916. The business featured the sale of Chalmers Automobiles which would become the official sponsored automobile of the highway.
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Ferry Story (1920) - Eufaula, OklahomaOne of the biggest efforts in Oklahoma on behalf of the Jefferson Highway was the building of a substantial bridge over the North Canadian River to the south of Eufaula. This was completed in 1920, and cars could then proceed over the bridge instead of using an automobile ferry across the river. This clipping shows the official closing of the ferry at that time.
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Sociability Run Story (1918) - Durant, OklahomaAn important way to promote and advertise the route in the 1910s and 1920s were sociability runs. These were basically a caravan of cars that would travel the route with supporters and politicians. Some of these included dignitaries from the end point communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Winnipeg, Canada. The Sociability Run in this story was an Oklahoma drive across the route that started in Durant.
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Jefferson Highway Café (1925) - Pryor, OklahomaThe Jefferson Highway named businesses were popular along the route. Pryor had a Jefferson Highway Café near the intersection of North Adair Street and Graham Avenue. The restaurant featured fish every Friday, chicken every Tuesday and Thursday, and ham and cabbage every Saturday.
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