Blue Whale of Catoosa

The Blue Whale of Catoosa in Oklahoma is one of the most recognizable and popular roadside attractions on Route 66.

Hugh S. Davis, a retired Tulsa Zoo zoo keeper, built this big blue whale as a gift for his wife Zelta on their 34th wedding anniversary in 1972. It was an appropriate present as she loved collecting whale figurines. The giant whale roadside attraction is 20 feet tall and 80 feet long. It was constructed from an iron frame and concrete and took Davis, with the help of his friend Harold Thomas, two years to complete. It quickly became a popular spot for friends and family to picnic and swim, it soon after became a local, national, and even an international celebrity, attracting travelers from around the globe.

The Blue Whale of Catoosa wasn’t just a giant sculpture, it was a place to play. Inside the mouth and belly is a slide that once allowed visitors to shoot out into the water and on the tip of the tail is an old diving platform. Though neither of those features are still in use, you can climb the steel ladders that are still inside to look out the portholes built into the top.

Davis and his wife maintained the giant whale roadside attraction throughout the 1970s and 1980s. They also opened an adjoining attraction called Nature’s Acres, which featured the roadside attraction alongside a swimming hole and Animal Reptile Kingdom (A.R.K.) complete with a giant wooden Noah’s Ark.

As the couple grew older and their health began to decline, they could no longer keep up managing the attraction, and it was closed in 1988. Hugh passed away in 1990, and Zelta in 2001. Unfortunately, after the stop was closed and Hugh was gone, the roadside attraction fell into disrepair due to weather damage, age, vandalism, and neglect. The paint peeled, the whale damaged, the surrounding foliage became overgrown.

Luckily, the importance of the Catoosa Whale did not go overlooked. Due to efforts by the couple’s son Blaine, the Catoosa Chamber of Commerce, the Hampton Inn, and other volunteers, money was raised and the whale was able to swim once more. In 2026, a brand-new 4,000-square-foot Blue Whale Visitor Center, topped with a neon sign, was unveiled. The center features Route 66-themed gift shop, historical exhibits, bathrooms, and concessions.