Did you know that the Blue Whale of Catoosa is one of the most iconic Route 66 attractions in popular culture? Read until the end for the full list, you won’t believe the last one!
Hugh Davis built the blue whale in the early 1970’s as an anniversary gift to his wife, who, as you can imagine, collected miniature blue whale figurines.
Over the course of two years Davis and a friend welded the metal frame of the mammoth 80-foot long mammal. They then applied cement which was mixed by hand and carried in 5-gallon buckets, one container at a time. After its completion in ‘72 it became an immediate destination for locals and 66 travelers alike. Davis quickly began expanding his vision by creating beaches and picnic areas. Eventually, the park opened to the public for swimming and fishing, and has remained an iconic park for Catoosa, Oklahoma ever since.
The Blue Whale, however, has grown larger over time – permeating pop culture and world recognition. Here are five surprising Whale sightings in popular culture.
1. Zippy’s Roadside Attractions
Zippy’s Roadside Attractions is part of the Zippy the Pinhead universe. The comic strip which began in the 1970’s is famous for its non-sequiturs and cultural references. In a particularly popular strip called “A Metaphor for Something”, Griffith, the cartoonist, highlights the Blue Whale of Catoosa in a Jonah-esque scenario. “Are we having fun yet?”
2. Rob Zombie’s Film 31
You might not associate the Blue Whale of Catoosa with horror, but Rob Zombie does. In the opening credits of his film 31, he prominently features the Blue Whale. The grizzly horror that follows is about as diametrically opposed to tourist attraction as possible, but we love seeing a 66 attraction on the big screen.
3. The Great Food Truck Race
The Food Network released a Route 66 edition of The Great Food Truck Race in 2015. Not surprisingly, The Blue Whale was featured – in season 6, episode 5 to be exact. This is by far our favorite season of a show that is as related to the American Dream as the Mother Road itself.
4. American Pickers
American Pickers is another one of our favorite shows. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and in this case that treasure is Route 66 memorabilia. Tune into the episode titled “On The Road Again” to see Catoosa’s favorite attraction on primetime.
5. Mercedes Benz Campaign
When you think of Route 66 attractions you may think of American ephemera from the past. Mercedes Benz, however, realized that that past defines the present of what it means to be American. When they created their “Attractions” campaign they prominently featured the Blue Whale of Catoosa in the commercial.
In recent years this Route 66 landmark has been restored thanks to the people of Catoosa who raised money for the park. The whale was repainted in its original blue color, the picnic area was renovated, and plans have been put in place to further expand the iconic landmark. If you have more pop culture references featuring The Blue Whale of Catoosa, leave a comment with a link.
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Featured Image by Carol M. Highsmith – https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/highsm/item/2010630004/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20572688
