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Afton, Oklahoma ||| population 734 ||| Route 66 ||| small town, USA

Travel with a Wiseguy

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Celebrate the 100-year legacy of Route 66 with a stop in Afton, Oklahoma, as I explore this small but history-packed town of just over 700 people, right along iconic Route 66—walking Main Street, highlighting vintage buildings, and sharing how Afton grew from a railroad hub into a classic Route 66 community. Located in Ottawa County in northeast Oklahoma, Afton’s story includes early rail expansion, agricultural roots, a population boom in the early 1900s, and later tourism tied to nearby Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees after the completion of Pensacola Dam. Along the way, I visit the quirky Crosstar Museum, meet a passionate local caretaker, and dig into how Route 66—and life beyond it—shaped this town’s rise and gradual decline.

T-shirt: Glacier National Park

Part 107 certified drone operator

0:00 Intro
0:45 Downtown Walk & Talk
3:42 Town & Drone Tour
7:08 Abandoned Buildings
8:34 Crosstar Flag and Tag
11:05 Credits

Music
Fresh Fallen Snow - Chris Haugen

20 Comments

@pedroitalo1049 7 months ago

Guys, don't let your small towns die! They're the heart of America!

@JohnColie143 7 months ago

I love the extended looks at individual small town videos. Thanks for sharing!

@monawilsonpoole2459 7 months ago

15 minutes from my home ❤

@carlhunt6891 7 months ago

Thank you coach for sharing. Still a quaint little town. Glad to see that there is still somethings there. See you down the road.

@gaildrumm4082 7 months ago

Love those old glass block fronts.

@LindaSimic-qt3mh 7 months ago

Thank you so much for sharing a piece of our wonderful historic towns that take us back in time ❤

@debluetailfly 7 months ago

One way for these small towns to make a comeback would be for the County to PERMANENTLY remove property taxes.

@Acemw1000 7 months ago

Love the facts you give about these areas and that you spend time in the area vs just driving thru. Gives us a real sense of the location. Thanks🎉

@kimiastewart6293 7 months ago

I love small towns like this, so very cool!

@timmountford8610 7 months ago

The railroad engineers would rotate in Afton and would stay in the motels.

@BadHammers1 7 months ago (edited)

5:23 My grandfather & grandmother donated most of the money needed to build that multi-purpose building at Trinity Baptist. Their idea was to build a small gym & conference center building for local kids & families. 6:36 “Hair Teasers” used to be “The Rocket” drive-in; great burgers! Bassett’s was a good little Cardinal Foods grocery store too. Farther east on 66 you’ll come to the intersection of 66 & 59 highway. There used to be a live buffalo zoo there, which is now Woodshed Buffalo Ranch gas station. North & west of Buffalo Ranch you can still drive on a few sections of original un-reinforced pavement from Route 66. It’s a neat little town; just too bad it is in decline.