via Route 66 news
Luther’s historic Threatt Filling Station on Route 66 and County Line Road, is offering a unique opportunity to visit the landmark before it opens to the public.
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s HOPE Crew are sponsoring the June 11 event from 10 AM – 3 PM.
“Meet the descendants, learn about the history, and try your hand at several preservation trade methods used during the rehabilitation efforts at the station,” the invitation states. “Refreshments will be provided. Please bring a sack lunch.”
Visit the Threatt Station | June 11, 2023 | 10 AM – 3 PM | Bring a lunch!
The online RSVP is here.
The Threatt family intends to open the newly-renovated station as an interpretive center this year.
Built by Allen Threatt, Senior, around 1915, the gas station remains one of the few surviving Black-owned businesses along Route 66. The bungalow-style station made of rock from the Threatt farm’s quarry was designated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. Threatt was inducted into the Oklahoma Route 66 Association Hall of Fame in 2022.
Strangely, the Threatt station, despite it being Black-owned, never was listed in the Green Book, the guide that provided safe navigation to Black motorists when the country was segregated. Nevertheless, the station served as a safe haven for Black travelers who fueled up, visited the restaurant, and even camped.
The Threatt Filling Station operated until the early 1970s when it was converted into living quarters for Elizabeth Threatt, a longtime educator and operator of the station.
In recent years, the station has received grants from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, plus a fundraiser led by Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell. The Threatt station in 2021 was named one of America’s Most Endangered Places.
The Green Book, officially titled “The Negro Motorist Green Book,” was a travel guide published from 1936 to 1966 that provided African American motorists with information on businesses that were friendly to and accommodating for Black travelers during the era of segregation in the United States. The book was created by Victor H. Green, an African-American postal carrier from New York.
While it is challenging to determine exactly why the Threatt Filling Station and Family Farm in Luther, Oklahoma, was not listed in the Green Book, there could be several reasons:
1. Lack of awareness by the Green Book publishers: While the Threatt Filling Station was known to serve all travelers, including African Americans, it is possible that the Green Book’s publishers may not have been aware of the Threatt Filling Station’s existence.
2. Undocumented businesses: The Green Book listed thousands of businesses, but it is important to remember that there were likely even more businesses that were friendly to African Americans but never made it into the publication. This could be due to the limitations of the publishers’ resources, incomplete information, or a host of other factors.
3. The Green Book’s focus: The primary purpose of the Green Book was to identify lodging, restaurants, service stations, and other businesses that would welcome Black travelers. It’s possible that the Threatt Filling Station simply didn’t fit into the specific categories the Green Book was focused on.
4. Changes in business owners/location: Business establishments could change owners or locations over time. This might have resulted in the Threatt Filling Station not being included in the Green Book, especially if the publication focused on other businesses nearby.
Regardless of the reason for its absence in the Green Book, the Threatt Filling Station holds historical significance for its role in serving travelers on Route 66 during the era of segregation. It remains a valuable piece of history and is currently a recognized historic site in Oklahoma.